According to CBS 12 in providence, a commission has been appointed to come up with a new state seal and motto for Massachusetts to replace the current ones due to concerns of it being racially insensitive to the state’s Indigenous communities. Some early ideas, but made no firm decisions, at a meeting Tuesday. The Special Commission on the Official Seal and Motto of the Commonwealth, made up of lawmakers, members of Indigenous tribes, historians and others, also disclosed plans to solicit feedback with a survey and several virtual and in-person public forums. The current seal that appears on state flags, which dates to the late 19th century, features a depiction of a Native American man beneath a colonist’s arm brandishing a sword. Some ideas include symbols or elements from nature that might better reflect the state and a change to the states motto Commission members stressed that all the ideas are in the early stages and nothing has been finalized.

The 20-member commission was created by the state Legislature and was supposed to complete its work by the end of this year, but has asked for an extension until next March.