Massachusetts Commission Unanimously Votes To Change State Seal & Flag

MASSACHUSETTS — A special commission in charge of reevaluating Massachusetts' state seal and motto unanimously voted to completely replace both Tuesday.

A 19-member state seal and motto commission made up of Massachusetts senators, historians, indigenous tribe representatives, and legislators unanimously voted to recommend the change of the seal originally designed in 1898.

Massachusetts' state flag currently depicts a Native American holding a bow and arrow beneath an arm holding a sword - which is supposed to be the hand of English militia leader Myles Standish as if he is going to strike the indigenous person beneath him. Standish was known for his intimidation approach against multiple Native American settlements in the early 1620s.

The state's motto, which is in Latin, encompasses the Native American on the flag and is translated as "By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty."

The flag has been called a "symbol of white supremacy" by many Native American groups, as it depicts the defeat of local tribes at the hands of colonists.

In January 2021, the Legislature passed S.2848, a bill that created the state commission to review and recommend any changes to the state seal and motto. Lawmakers created the commission to investigate features of the official seal and motto that "may be unwittingly harmful."

That 19-member commission met for the first time virtually in July 2021 to discuss the items in detail.

Commissioner Brig. Gen. Leonid Kondratiuk, historical-services director for the Massachusetts National Guard reminded the commission that the seal and motto link to military service, WGBH reported.

"Seventeen thousand Massachusetts soldiers died under that flag from 1787 to World War I," WGBH reported Kondratiuk saying. "Of course, we all respect that, but as a retired military officer… that is on my mind as we approach Memorial Day."

Executive director of Massachusetts Indian Affairs, John Peters, a man of Native descent told the commission in July 2021 that he hopes the commission can change the flag to something that isn't so "egregious to Native Americans," and instead to something that can showcase Massachusetts' diverse cultures.

It is currently undecided if the public's input will be allowed in developing flag redesigns, or if the public will have options to choose from after drafts have been drawn up.

The current deadline for the flag's redesign is Dec. 31, but the commission asked the state Legislature to push the deadline back to March 31, 2023. That request has not yet been granted.