After years of political pressure and public debate, the state of Massachusetts is preparing to replace its historic state seal, flag, and motto — igniting intense backlash from critics who say the redesign is not only a sanitization of the state’s complex past, but also a textbook example of sterile, corporate-style minimalism run amok.
The Massachusetts Seal, Flag, and Motto Commission, established to replace what progressives called “traumatizing imagery” tied to colonialism, has now released three final design options for each symbol. The proposed changes will soon be presented to Democratic Governor Maura Healey following six scheduled public hearings.
Historic Imagery Targeted for Removal
Massachusetts’ current seal, adopted in 1780, features a Native American figure holding a bow and arrow beneath a raised broadsword — a tribute to the state’s Revolutionary War heritage. The Latin motto, “Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem” (“By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty”) has also drawn criticism for its martial tone.
Activists have long claimed the seal’s symbolism glorifies violence and colonial conquest, despite its original intent to honor the fight for American independence.
New Designs: Whales, Stars, and Chickadees
The proposed new seal designs lean heavily into nature themes and abstract shapes. Among them:
- A North Atlantic right whale in motion
- A chickadee (the state bird) encircled by turkey feathers
- A minimalist star design incorporating waves and hills
Flag options include:
- A circle of turkey feathers on a crimson field
- A white mayflower (the state flower) containing a gold star on a blue background
- A stylized depiction of blue hills, ocean waves, and a gold eight-pointed star
Each design has been roundly mocked online, with critics comparing them to corporate logos, public utility branding, and even airline safety cards.
🚨Report: Massachusetts is moving closer to adopting a new state flag and motto
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) August 31, 2025
The mottos choices are as follows:
1. Many voices, One Commonwealth
2. We honor all life guided by the First Light
3. We rejoice in the public good pic.twitter.com/vY6npgvuTe
New Mottos Offer Vague Utopian Vibes
Accompanying the redesign is a set of new proposed mottos, such as:
- “Many voices, One Commonwealth”
- “We honor all life guided by the First Light”
- “We rejoice in the public good”
One Massachusetts resident who submitted the “First Light” motto wrote that the phrase honors the Wampanoag and other Indigenous tribes once known as the “People of the First Light.” The commission said it aimed to reflect both “truth-telling” and “healing” through its work.
While intended to reflect Massachusetts’ cultural diversity and “commitment to inclusion,” critics have blasted the mottos as vague, overly sentimental, and reflective of modern DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and progressive ideology, rather than rooted civic values.
Critics Say the Redesigns Flatten History and Culture
Conservatives, heritage preservationists, and even design critics have condemned the proposed replacements, calling them ugly, bland, and devoid of meaning.
“Why do liberals and corporate higher-ups insist on erasing beautiful, intricate, idiosyncratic details from history and design?” one commenter wrote. “Everything today feels like it was designed by an app — flat, sterile, and soulless.”
Many have drawn comparisons to Cracker Barrel’s much-maligned 2025 rebrand, or the shift toward minimalist logos in branding that critics argue make everything “feel and look exactly the same.”
Elizabeth Warren, Are You Watching?
Some have called on Sen. Elizabeth Warren — famously mocked for her past claims of Native American ancestry — to weigh in on the redesign, suggesting that if anyone should defend preserving Indigenous representation on the state flag, it might be her.
So far, Warren’s office has remained silent on the matter.
What Happens Next?
The Commission will hold six public hearings before submitting final recommendations to Gov. Healey. If the legislature approves the new designs, Massachusetts will join Minnesota, which recently adopted a similarly minimalist redesign to replace its own controversial imagery.
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