Contact: Crystal Drake, Office of Strategic Communications
The City of Montgomery entered a new chapter in its history earlier this month, as city leaders raised Montgomery’s newly adopted city flag at City Hall. The ceremony marked the first redesign of the city’s official flag since 1952 and celebrated the masterful vision of a Tuskegee alum that honors Montgomery’s rich history while looking confidently toward the future.
That vision was Joshua Gordon’s, a Montgomery native, licensed architect, and 2022 graduate of Tuskegee’s Robert R. Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science (TSACS). His design was selected as the winning entry in the citywide flag competition.
The path to Montgomery's new flag began years earlier with the efforts of student activist Jeremiah Treece, who launched a petition calling for the city to adopt a new flag that better reflected the community. Treece’s initiative eventually gained momentum and led city officials to launch a public design competition.
For Gordon, the project was more than a design competition. As someone born and raised in Montgomery, he saw an opportunity to contribute something meaningful to the city he calls home.
"I didn't want to see a flag that was just new,” Gordon explained, adding that his goal was a holistic blend of many elements. "Montgomery is a very historic city. But I also didn't want a flag that focused exclusively on one aspect of its story. I wanted something that merged the city's past and future."
After initially sketching several concepts, Gordon immersed himself in the study of flag design, or vexillology. He researched accepted principles of flag composition and refined his original submission before resubmitting it for consideration.
The final design resonated with city leaders because of its ability to bring people together.
According to Gordon, Montgomery City Councilman Oronde Mitchell personally called him after the selection process concluded.
“I think my design was something that people from different perspectives could get behind. It was a mixture of everything that makes Montgomery what it is," Gordon said.
Gordon credits both his academic training and life experiences with shaping his approach to design.
His interest in architecture began in childhood while watching family members renovate a home. That early exposure sparked a passion that eventually led him to pursue architecture at Tuskegee, choosing the university over other options including Florida A&M University and Auburn University.
A lifelong influence was his Scoutmaster, Kenneth Jones, a Tuskegee alumnus who introduced him to the university's culture and traditions.
"He would take me to games, wear Tuskegee paraphernalia, and expose me to the environment," Gordon said. "You start to think, 'I want to be a part of that.'"
While at Tuskegee, Gordon participated in Army ROTC, an experience he says helped instill the discipline necessary to succeed academically and professionally.
"I found the right mentors, stayed persistent, and ROTC helped me develop the structure and discipline.”
Among those mentors was architecture professor Dr. Kwesi Daniels, TSACS Department Head and Associate Professor of Architecture, who taught Gordon during his first year and remained a significant figure throughout his academic journey.
“Tuskegee has always been centered in not just honoring the past but preserving the lessons that legacy teaches us,” said Dr. Daniels. “Architecture is a transformative discipline, keenly precise while deeply creative. Josh’s design is emblematic of that duality and I am deeply proud of him. In Tuskegee’s Renaissance Era, we are celebrating the power of reimagining our founding principles for a modern world and his design is a powerful expression of that.”
Today, Gordon is building a promising professional career. He recently achieved another major milestone by becoming a licensed architect, a process that requires thousands of documented work hours, mentorship, and passing six rigorous national examinations.
"I'm still learning and growing,” said Gordon, who completed his licensure process in about 13 months, a staggering accomplishment given that it typically takes several years. And he did it working full-time and raising a growing family with his wife, making the achievement even more remarkable.
Gordon currently works as a project architect at Robinson & Associates Architecture in Montgomery, a firm with deep Tuskegee connections. Firm founder William Barry Robinson is a Tuskegee alumnus, as is his son and colleague, Glazer Robinson.
As Montgomery residents look up at their new flag flying above City Hall, they are witnessing more than a new symbol. The banner represents civic engagement, community collaboration, and the vision of a young architect determined to create something that reflects the city's full story.
For Gordon, the goal was never to erase the past. It was to create a symbol that embraces Montgomery's history while inspiring confidence in its future.
"This is a progressive city," he said. "We honor our history, but it's also important to move forward and think about what's next."
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