WESTFORD — With November being Native American Heritage month, the ongoing debate regarding the Massachusetts state flag and its Native American imagery has returned to the spotlight.
WestfordCAT mentioned the topic to the guest speaker at the town’s annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day event on Oct. 18.
The Massachusetts state flag has been a subject of recent discussion among lawmakers, ever since former governor Charlie Baker signed a bill establishing a special commission to change the state flag and seal in 2021. The commission was created following the approval of senate bill S.1877, which invited native leaders from the Wampanoag, Nipmuc, and Massachusett nations to sit with state legislators, historians, and other appointees on a 19-member panel.
Activists arguing in favor of changing the state flag and seal said indigenous leaders have been calling for change for over 50 years, arguing that the flags Native American depiction is seen by many as a symbol of violence against indigenous people, and a memorial to the violent colonization of their homelands.
The state seal was adopted in 1780 — while the state flag, which contains the state seal, was adopted in 1908 — and only changed once in 1971.
Following two unsuccessful attempts to change the state flag and seal in 2022 and 2023, as well as a University of Massachusetts Amherst poll showing limited support for the change among Massachusetts residents, the issue fell under the radar.
However, in July of 2024, Gov. Maura Healey signed a budget amendment to change the state flag, seal, and motto, with public submissions accepted during last May and June — resulting in 48 semi-finalists.
WestfordCAT last covered this topic in September, after three finalists for redesigns of the state flag and state seal were chosen following the Massachusetts state government’s request for residents to submit for a new design for the state flag and seal — receiving over 1,000 submissions. After the finalists were announced, WestfordCAT spoke to Linda Greene, the director of Westford’s Museum and Historical society, asking her what her thoughts were on the state flag and seal, and if a change was necessary.
“I’m a fan, I love the Massachusetts state flag,” Greene said. “That’s the flag that’s represented the state I was born in and lived in for most of my entire life. You know, I think that the symbolism on the flag reflects the history of Massachusetts. You’ve got the Native American in the middle of the flag, in the middle of the shield. That always reminded me of the first Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims, and that type of representation, that type of symbolism that represents Massachusetts. The sword and the arm, with liberty and the revolution, dating back to 1775, 1776, when the Revolutionary War was a big impact here in Massachusetts. I think those are two very strong symbols of Massachusetts, and represents the state very well. I think more than replacing the flag, maybe we need to just do a little more education about what all these symbols mean and what they represent in our history.”
While WestfordCAT was covering the town’s annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day event, WestfordCAT asked guest speaker and Nipmuc author and activist, Larry Spotted Crow Mann, what his opinion on the Massachusetts state flag and seal was, and if he welcomed the potential change.
“Representation is very important, because unfortunately the only relationship that folks have had with indigenous peoples was through outdated books, and Native American mascots,” Spotted Crow Mann said. “We’re these harmful imageries, that we’re the fighting warrior or the noble savage, which is kind of stuck in this kind of time-warp. So these kind of perpetual images of us has brought a lot of harm. So the flag, it obviously has brought a lot of concern to our tribal communities, and I welcome the change.”
A new state flag, seal as well as motto was originally set to be chosen by the advisory commission, and presented to Healey and the Massachusetts State Legislature in December, following public input sessions held through October.
However, when the topic was mentioned during a recent press conference, Healey said that although she supports the commission that’s considering changes to Massachusetts’ flag and seal, she doesn’t think changes will happen soon.
“I’m sure there’ll be discussion, you know, over the ensuing time and years,” Healey told reporters during the press conference.
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Should the Massachusetts state flag be changed?
WestfordCAT spoke to the Director of the Westford Museum and a Nipmuc author/activist and asked them their opinions on whether Massachusetts should change its state flag due to the controversy surrounding its Native American imagery. Now we'd like to hear from our readers!
