The Syracuse city flag represents the sun rising over the Onondaga Valley, symbolizing the city’s geography, renewal, and shared civic future.

• The rising sun references Syracuse’s position within the Onondaga Valley

• The upward geometry reflects daylight, emergence, and forward momentum

• The imagery connects place-based geography with civic identity

• The design emphasizes unity and renewal rather than individual institutions

The Syracuse city flag is named “First Light” because it visually represents the first light of sunrise emerging over the Onondaga Valley.

• “First Light” emphasizes optimism, emergence, and the start of a new day

• The name reinforces renewal and forward movement as civic themes

• The Syracuse area is closely tied to the “first light” of democracy, as the Haudenosaunee Confederacy — one of the earliest participatory political systems in North America — was founded near Onondaga Lake over a thousand years ago

The triangles on the Syracuse city flag symbolize the city’s geography, upward movement, and balanced civic structure.

• They represent the hills of Onondaga, visually forming a valley between them

• Their upward orientation reinforces the idea of emergence

• The simplified shapes ensure the design remains clear, enduring, and easily recognizable

The star on the Syracuse city flag represents the sun, reinforcing the “First Light” concept and the idea of sunrise over the Onondaga valley.

• Its central placement reinforces the city’s role as a geographic and civic focal point

• The six points reference the six past historical names by which Syracuse was known throughout the city’s development.

• The six points also represent the six nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, on whose land the city of Syracuse was founded

The colors of the Syracuse city flag symbolize the city’s landscape, history, and civic values through a carefully balanced palette.

• Orange represents the sun, regeneration, restoration, courage, passion, and creativity

• Azure blue symbolizes Onondaga Lake and the Erie Canal, reflecting perseverance and intelligence

• Navy blue represents the hills of Onondaga, along with trust, loyalty, and industriousness

• White symbolizes salt, snow, peace, and purity

• Together, the colors connect Syracuse’s natural environment with its cultural and civic identity

The Syracuse city flag reflects the city’s history by referencing the region’s geography, early settlement, and long-standing civic foundations.

• The design is grounded in the landscape of the Onondaga Valley, where the city developed

• The rising sun imagery reflects continuity, renewal, and the passage of time

• The flag acknowledges Indigenous history through references to place and origin

• The navy blue color represents Syracuse’s industrial history and the blue-collar workers who helped build the city in its early days

The Syracuse city flag reflects the city’s identity by emphasizing unity, inclusivity, and a shared sense of place through clear, accessible symbolism.

• The design prioritizes common civic values rather than individual institutions or organizations

• The imagery presents Syracuse as a collective community shaped by cooperation and balance

• The “First Light” concept reinforces optimism, openness, and forward movement

• Together, the elements express a civic identity that belongs to all residents

The Syracuse city flag is visually related to other New York civic flags through shared use of color, geometry, and symbolic structure.

• It references the original flag of Syracuse by carrying forward sun imagery and a related color family tied to the city’s history

• It shares an analogous color palette with the flag of Albany, reflecting civic connection and continuity within New York State

• It aligns visually with the flag of New York City through the use of bold vertical color fields and a shared blue–orange relationship

• It connects to the flag of New York through sun symbolism, a central “V” or chevron-like structure, and a related color family

• These relationships are intentional and symbolic, placing the Syracuse city flag within a broader visual tradition of New York civic flags while maintaining a distinct local identity

The “First Light Credo” is a written statement that articulates the symbolic, geographic, and civic values expressed by the Syracuse city flag. It was written by Syracuse flag designer, Eric Hart.

• It describes Syracuse as a place shaped by sunrise, landscape, and orientation within the Onondaga Valley

• The credo acknowledges Indigenous presence and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy as foundational to the region

• It emphasizes the sun as a source of renewal, resilience, and continuity

• References to salt, winter, and endurance reflect the city’s environmental and historical realities

• Together, the text frames the flag as a unifying civic symbol rooted in place, history, and shared aspiration