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On Monday, April 25, 2022, the Birmingham City Commission unanimously approved a new city logo at the recommendation of the city's Ad Hoc Wayfinding and Gateway Signage Committee (WGS). McCann Detroit designed the logo, which features an icon inspired by late Birmingham resident Marshall Fredericks’ “Freedom of the Human Spirit” sculpture in Shain Park.
The original “Freedom of the Human Spirit” sculpture was created for the New York World’s Fair in 1964. The sculpture was designed to depict human figures soaring as if in migratory flight with huge swans, an ancient symbol of eternal life, in honor of the New York World’s Fair theme of “Peace through Understanding”. In 1983, Marshall Fredericks donated the design for this sculpture to his adopted hometown of Birmingham in honor of the city’s 50th anniversary, and the bronze sculpture was commissioned by the City of Birmingham and dedicated in 1988. Marshall Fredericks resided in Birmingham with his wife Rosalind Cooke Fredericks until his death in 1998.
The new logo's distinctive icon captures the essence and energy of a focal point in Shain Park, and when combined with the classic font for the city name, and balanced with the simple tagline, embodies the modern yet timeless nature of Birmingham. Follow this link to download the complete WGS report presented at the City Commission meeting on Monday, April 25, 2022.