![[flag of Tulsa, Oklahoma]](../images/u/us-oktu4.gif)
image by Zachary Harden, 3 October 2018
Last modified: 2023-11-11 by rick wyatt
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image by Zachary Harden, 3 October 2018
See also:
The current flag was officially adopted as the city flag on 3 October 2018.
http://www.newson6.com/story/39226615/tulsa-city-council-unanimously-approves-new-city-flag
Zachary Harden, 3 October 2018
Also reported at
https://ktul.com/news/local/tulsa-city-council-approves-vote-to-adopt-new-city-flag
Dave Fowler, 3 October 2018
The blue field symbolizes the Arkansas River, and the many resources it has provided throughout our history and today.
The horizontal line represents the 1901 discovery of oil, the “black gold” that brought substantial growth and commerce to this land.
The Native American shield represents the settlement of this area by Native American tribes and is a nod to the Oklahoma state flag.
Within the shield, the red circle represents the blood shed and lives lost during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre that destroyed Black Wall Street, the most prosperous African American community in the country.
The beige star at the center represents Tulsa’s bright future. A nod to Tulsa's Art Deco architecture, it shows that we heal from past wounds and continue to flourish as an icon of a uniquely American city.
The beige field represents the warmth and community commonly found in Tulsa.
Source:
http://www.tulsaflag.com/meaning/
Rob Raeside, 13 July 2017
![[flag of Tulsa, Oklahoma]](../images/u/us-oktu3-l.gif)
12:19 image(s) by permission of David B. Martucci
image(s) from American City Flags,
Raven
9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association,
which retains copyright.
Text and image(s) from American City Flags, Raven 9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright. Image(s) from American City Flags by permission of David B. Martucci.
Tulsa’s flag is described in the ordinance of adoption:
The flag design shall be the corporate seal of the City of Tulsa as described herein, positioned on both sides of a white material measuring six (6) feet, four (4) inches by four (4) feet, with the seal measuring two (2) feet, six (6) inches from top to bottom located in the center of the white material.The corporate seal is also described in its own ordinance of adoption (27 December 1967):
The Corporate Seal of the City of Tulsa shall be in the shape of a modified vertical ellipse. The upper one-third of this ellipse shall be a gold field. Superimposed on this field, in the optical center and pointing upward shall be an Indian [Native American] projectile point (arrowhead) of the Snyder variety in black and white facets. To the left [hoist] and adjacent to the base of this arrowhead there shall be the numerals “1” and “8”. To the right [fly] and adjacent to the base of this arrowhead there shall be the numerals “9” and “8”, together representing the year 1898. Superimposed upon and circumscribing the curved edge of the gold field there shall appear two rows of five-pointed blue stars, forty-six (46) in number.John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003The lower left [hoist] quadrant of the seal shall be a black field with a stylized white oil derrick superimposed upon and centered in the field. The lower right [fly] quadrant of the seal shall be a blue field with parallel horizontal white lines. Each line shall be composed of a series of arcs to suggest a wave form.
The upper gold field, the lower left black quadrant and the lower right blue quadrant shall be separated from each other to form the letter “T” in white. Circumscribing the lower half of the seal in Lincoln Gothic type style shall be the words “CITY OF TULSA OKLAHOMA” in gold capital letters.
The flag was adopted as part of celebrations of
the city’s 75th anniversary.
Flag adopted: 17 August 1973 (official)
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10, 2002-2003
Unknown
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
![[former flag of Tulsa, Oklahoma]](../images/u/us-oktu2.gif)
image located by Esteban Rivera,15 July 2017
The second was a 5-striped flag with the map on it, or so it appears, from the 1940s-70s. The colors are not known. Purcell (American City Flags) does not mention it and there seems to be some mystery about it.
Albert Kirsch, 11 July 2004
Tulsa's second flag consisted of an encircled star containing a globe
circumscribed with the words "Tulsa Oklahoma" in capital letters. This was
adopted on September 27, 1941 during Clarence H. Veale's mayorship.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Tulsa and
http://www.worldstatesmen.org/US_Mayors2.html#Tulsa
Esteban Rivera,15 July 2017
![[first flag of Tulsa, Oklahoma]](../images/u/us-oktu1.gif)
image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 16 July 2006
The first flag of Tulsa apparently was a "rising sun" look-alike (with blue rays; gyronny, sort of) from the 1920s to the 40s (Purcell 2003: American City Flags has this one).
Albert Kirsch, 11 July 2004
Tulsa's first flag was a non-rectangular design with the fly ending in an
isosceles triangle. It consisted of a white field with a large red circle in
the center with the word "Tulsa" inside. From the red circle emanate eight
blue rays and six white rays. In the broader white sections are two red
arrows pointing inward, with the words "Unlimited" on the hoist and
"Opportunity" on the fly, both in white and in capital letters. The design
suggests the brashness of early Tulsa as it grew rapidly with the petroleum
industry, attracting visitors, settlers, and businesses, loudly proclaiming a
bright future for all. This was adopted on June 5, 1924 during Herman F.
Newblock's mayorship and designed by Alfred Perry. W.A. (Rose) Cease sewed
the first flag. This video (https://www.facebook.com/flagtulsa/videos/1903900683222505), regarding the
1924 flag (http://www.tulsaflag.com/1924) the video actually mentions
Rosalie Keelie Cease (instead of W.A. (Rose) Cease) (perhaps a typo) as one
of the designers of the flag, and it also states that the flag was presented
in October, 1924, as mentioned by Mrs. Barbie Jeffers (granddaughter of Mrs.
Cease) in an interview regarding the historical background of the flag.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Tulsa and
https://www.pdcnet.org/.../.pdf
Esteban Rivera,15 July 2017
Three finalists were revealed on April 26, in the effort to update Tulsa’s city flag. The project began in November 2016 and submissions have been weeded down to three flags, now going into a public-voting phase.
![[proposed flags of Tulsa, Oklahoma]](../images/u/us-oktul!17.jpg)
image located by Vexinews, 29 April 2017
Jacob Johnson and Joey Wignarajah have spearheaded the effort with Tulsa City Council support. The council anticipates eventually calling a council vote to adopt a new flag.Source: www.tulsaworld.com
The argument for a new flag is that the current flag is simply the city’s seal on a white background. A city ordinance makes it illegal to attach the city seal to anything without express permission from the city — making something as simple as printing a shirt with the city flag on it a municipal crime. Organizers also argue that the current flag is just not good — falling well behind on modern flag design and theory.
The information-gathering phase brought in 600 pieces of unique input that leaders said fell largely into a few categories. About a third involved Tulsa’s oil and gas industry; another 30 percent regarded the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot; and other input included Tulsa’s geography in relation to the Arkansas River and Turkey Mountain, and Tulsa’s music scene. The input led into a design-gathering phase in January that was extended to accommodate more residents who wanted to submit their flag-design proposals. In total, about 250 designs were reviewed.
The flag selection process is described at tulsaflag.com/
Vexinews, 10 June 2017
The three finalists for Tulsa’s new flag design were presented to the City
Council on Wednesday (April 26), and now it’s up to the public to vote on a
winner. The finalists were selected from nearly 400 submissions that came in
during a public process that started in late 2016. Last fall, organizers of the
Tulsa Flag (http://www.tulsaflag.com)
campaign asked for public input as to what themes designers should seek to
illustrate. A variety of ideas were submitted, but the group settled on some
specific themes to pitch to designers.
“Each design has been carefully
thought out, taking into consideration events and landmarks that have shaped
Tulsa into what it is today, such as the Arkansas River, the Council Oak Tree,
the discovery of oil, Art Deco architecture, the (1921) Tulsa Race Riot, Native
American heritage and Black Wall Street,” states a media release announcing the
finalists. “Each flag also has a unique element that ties the importance of
community back into the design.”
Money for the project was raised privately.
Voting began Wednesday. To vote, text A, B, or C for the corresponding
design you wish to vote for to 918-376-5690. Voting will be open for two weeks.
(Notice: the three finalists are, clockwise: A, B and C:
https://www.readfrontier.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/flags.jpg):
- A:
"One is half gold and half sky blue, with a little black mixed in to represent
the role the oil industry has played in Tulsa. The graphic in the middle of
the flag is said to represent the Council Oak Tree, Art Deco architecture, the
city’s Native American heritage and Black Wall Street."
See image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 29 October 2023
- B: "The second
option is colored dark blue, cream, red and gold. The graphic is a dreamcatcher,
according to the Tulsa Flag campaign organizers. The star in the middle of the
dreamcatcher is an “Art Deco style” design that “represents Tulsa’s future,”
according to a design brief issued Wednesday, and it “shows that our city heals
from past wounds and flourishes as an icon of a uniquely American city.”"
See image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 29 October 2023
-
C: The third option is colored dark blue, yellow and white, and the interlocking
design represents “that all Tulsans are interwoven with our city’s history to
form a pattern of strength and vibrancy,” according to the design brief. The
gold bars are said to represent the themes selected by the project, while the
blue background is a “nod to the state flag and the Arkansas River. “The center
white diamond signifies safety, hope, and new beginnings,” the brief states"."
See image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 29 October 2023
The three finalists were presented to the City Council on Wednesday, April
26, 2017. When the Tulsa Flag group launched the project, it said the city’s
current flag — which is just the city seal — was stale, outdated and, worst of
all, copyrighted. The result was that the flag was essentially useless.
Recreating it was illegal, so unless you spent a lot of time around City Hall,
you were unlikely to ever see the flag flying.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/: "Since the new administration took office under
Mayor G.T. Bynum in December, two major issues have split the City Council and
pitted the elected officials against each other.
One was the battle over
Helmerich Park, which polarized the council over whether to defend green space
or allow development. On Wednesday (April 26), the second major split occurred
around whether to change the city’s flag." (includes embedded video of the City
Council (official website:
http://www.tulsacouncil.org) receiving the three finalist proposals). The
private effort to change the flag, begun in November with a social-media
campaign led by a group called Tulsa Flag, has had unanimous council support
during periodic updates — until Wednesday.
Esteban Rivera,15 July
2017
image by Zachary Harden, 3 October 2018
Voting on the new Tulsa flag has ended and a flag was selected (reported by
http://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/new-tulsa-flag-chosen-after-vote, page no
longer accessible).
Dave Fowler, 13 July 2017
The flag design, which was proposed and solicited by a civic group, is going
to be proposed the city council at a later date this year.
Zachary
Harden, 13 July 2017
![[Municipal seal]](../images/u/us-oktul).gif)
image located by Paul Bassinson, 13 November 2019
Source:
https://cdn.shopify.com/
Paul Bassinson, 13 November
2019
