Annual town meetings in Sturbridge, Petersham, Williamsburg and Great Barrington voted in favor of resolutions to support the work of the Special Commission on the Seal and Motto, and to change the flag and seal of Massachusetts tonight. They join 48 other cities and towns that have already voted in favor of the long overdue change to our state’s official symbol.
Nearly 15% of the cities and towns in the Commonwealth are now on record in support of changing the flag and seal. The Worcester County towns of Athol (on June 13th) and Barre (on June 14th) will have the chance to join that growing list next week.
Barre is one of only three towns to vote down the resolution, in 2019. So the June 14th vote in Barre, where sacred artifacts from the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee are still kept at the Woods Memorial Library Museum, despite ongoing pleas from the Lakota for their repatriation, will be closely watched.
Check the map on the homepage of our website (changethemassflag.com) to see if your city and town is already on record in support. If you would like help bring a resolution of support for changing the flag and seal of Massachusetts to your town meeting or city council, contact us today!
Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 7th, at 11 a.m., the public will have a choice to watch a Zoom meeting of one of the subcommittees of the Special Commission on the Seal and Motto of the Commonwealth. The commission is working toward a deadline of March 31st, 2023 to recommend a total redesign of the state flag and seal and motto. Those recommendations will have to be enacted by the legislature and approved by the new governor if we are going to have a flag and seal to be proud of, rather than ashamed of, by the end of the 2023-24 legislative session.
The History and Usages Subcommittee of the flag, seal and motto will meet from 11 a.m. to noon on June 7th. Here is the link for that subcommittee meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81670619311?pwd=cXJJZmIwWG5CU3M3UnVxTE5iY2xPQT09
The Public Consultation Subcommittee for the Special Commission on the flag, seal and motto will be meeting at the same time: 11 a.m. to noon on June 7th. Here is the link for that subcommittee meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89652344114?pwd=NDZiWEJSSWN5d0hjbHZmb1pVT3podz09