Cleveland City Council has officially designated April 18 as Superman Day, formally recognizing the city’s claim as the birthplace of the Man of Steel and enshrining a new annual celebration spearheaded by the Siegel and Shuster Society. The resolution, passed Monday night, names the date — the day Action Comics #1 first went on sale in 1938 — as a yearly observance beginning with a special luncheon hosted by the nonprofit later this month.
“You created the superhero genre,” said Gary Kaplan-Siegel, a relative of the creators and president of the Siegel and Shuster Society, at the council meeting, where society representatives stood with council members as the proclamation was read. Councilman Kris Harsh, who represents Ward 4, praised the group’s work and linked Superman’s global stature to the city: “Siegel and Shuster Society has worked tirelessly to promote Cleveland as the birthplace of Superman, one of the most recognizable and beloved characters in popular culture throughout the world and a symbol of the enduring ideals of truth, justice and the American way.”
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, then students at Glenville High School in Cleveland, created Superman in the 1930s. The council’s decision highlights that local origin story and seeks to cement the connection in civic memory after years of preservation work by the Siegel and Shuster Society. The nonprofit has been instrumental in efforts ranging from saving Siegel’s childhood home to the construction of Superman Plaza at 1 St. Clair Avenue downtown, landmarks cited by advocates as physical evidence of the character’s Cleveland roots.
Fans gathered near Superman Plaza welcomed the formal recognition. “We love Superman,” said Cleveland resident Sean Armstrong, who attended the announcement with family. Observers emphasized the pride in a locally born cultural icon: although other cities have sometimes tried to stake their own claims to Superman’s origins, supporters and historians point to the creators’ Cleveland ties as definitive.
Children and longtime fans alike shared their enthusiasm. “I like how he flies. It’s really cool with his cape and stuff,” said Valerie Armstrong, while Austin Armstrong added that the designation uplifts a city he believes deserves more recognition. City officials framed the new holiday as both a celebration and a tool for heritage preservation, calling the move “a giant leap towards preserving his Cleveland legacy for generations to come.”
The inaugural Superman Day on April 18 will be marked by the society’s luncheon and is expected to include community events and educational programming in future years, organizers said. By tying the commemoration to the original publication date of Action Comics #1, the city council hopes the annual observance will both honor Siegel and Shuster’s achievement and bolster Cleveland’s cultural tourism tied to the character’s origins.