Massachusetts is moving forward with plans to refresh its state symbols, as a dedicated commission has sifted through over 1,000 ideas from residents to select finalists for a new seal, flag, and motto.
Established by lawmakers in 2024, the group aims to replace the existing designs, which have drawn criticism for years due to their portrayal of colonial-era imagery, including a figure representing English militia leader Myles Standish holding a sword above an Indigenous person, alongside a Latin motto emphasizing peace through force.
Some of the submissions for official seals of Massachusetts, including one that says, “State of Massachusetts” instead of “Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”
This effort builds on a prior attempt started in 2021 under former Governor Charlie Baker, where an earlier commission gathered input but failed to finalize recommendations by 2023. Their report highlighted sensitivities around symbols like the mayflower, linked to both Pilgrim history and the displacement of Native peoples, as well as the cranberry’s colonial associations…