^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Albuquerque, New Mexico (U.S.)

Bernalillo County

10:17 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.

Current Flag
Seal

See also:

Current Flag

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.

Design

Albuquerque uses the Zia sun symbol from the New Mexico state flag, but with the colors reversed: the sun is yellow on a crimson field. The symbol is also proportionately larger on the Albuquerque flag, and located slightly above center rather than in the exact center of the field. On a field of 10 by 17 units, the two interior rays of the sun’s four arms measure about 2.4 units long. As on the state flag, the two exterior rays measure slightly less. On the center of the sun, in yellow, is 1706. Centered below the sun symbol, in italics, is Albuquerque, about 9 units in length. In the upper hoist is a stylized Native American thunderbird in flight, descending toward the center, measuring about 2.7 units from beak to tail.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Symbolism

The sun symbol of the Native American Zia Pueblo has four arms signifying the importance of the number four in their spiritual beliefs: four figures in the four cardinal directions, the four seasons, the four aspects of the day (sunrise, noon, sunset, and night), and the four stages of life (childhood, youth, adulthood, and old age). Additionally, the Zia believe that a person has four sacred obligations: to develop a strong body, a clear mind, a pure spirit, and a devotion to the welfare of the people. Aside from the obvious link to the state’s flag with the Zia sun symbol, the thunderbird on the flag of Albuquerque may represent the city’s great progress in recent years.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Selection

The Zonta Club (an international women’s organization) of Albuquerque apparently solicited a design.
Flag adopted: 1969 (official status uncertain).
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Designer

Said to be Dr. Richard T. Vann, a local optometrist, but the microfilm records are now barely legible.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

More about the Flag

On 13 January 1969, representatives of the Albuquerque Council of Camp Fire Girls presented a city flag it had made to the city aviation director, Clyde Scharrer. This flag measured 5 by 8 feet. The ceremony was repeated for the city commission on 26 February 1969. Nearly a year later, on 26 January 1970, the Zonta Club presented four city flags to the city commission.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Seal

image located by Paul Bassinson, 13 October 2019

Source: http://olgakerncompetition.org/.../city-of-abq-new-mexico.png
Paul Bassinson, 13 October 2019