On Saturday, April 6th, 2024, the Annual Town Meeting of Hamilton voted 390 – 102 in favor of changing the flag and seal of Massachusetts. With this overwhelming ( 4 to 1 ) vote, Hamilton became the 80th town to vote in support of this long awaited change. Copies of the town’s vote will be forwarded to state legislators, the Governor and the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
The resolution in support of changing the flag and seal was presented to town meeting by Jamie Knudsen, chair of the Hamilton Human Rights Commission, with the backing of the Hamilton selectboard and finance committee.
In his speech, Knudsen said, “I urge you to take a clear look at the history as you know it, and at the flag as you see it, up there on the stage.
“The Special Commission on the Seal and Motto has issued its final report. On November 15th, 2023, the Commission, with six leaders of Native Nations of Massachusetts among its members, said our flag and seal can easily be interpreted as ‘a celebration of the history of violence perpetrated by settlers against Indigenous populations.’
“The Special Commission said our state flag and seal is causing harm, today.
“I urge you to put the Town of Hamilton on record in support of change. I urge you to call on our elected representatives to support a new, aspirational and inclusive flag and seal for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”
This Just In….
Town of Wenham joins Hamilton
Voting to Change the Flag and Seal!
We don’t have the vote total yet, but as of now, 81 Towns have Voted in Support.
(Stay tuned. More towns will be voting on changing the flag and seal soon.)
Write a Letter to the Editor in support.
Here’s a great example!
Heather Campbell, of Stockbridge, wrote the following letter to the editor, printed in the Berkshire Eagle on March 27th, 2024, calling on Governor Maura Healey to take action to change the flag and seal.
Please take a few minutes to send a letter in support of a new flag and seal for Massachusetts to your local papers today.
“Almost two years ago, I made my fellow voters at our town meeting really look at the state flag on our stage.
“I think I completely scared the chair and committee when I jumped up there to unfurl it so everyone could truly see the image, but I needed everyone to be reminded viscerally about what we were talking about: A white man’s hand holding a colonist’s sword above the head of an Indigenous caricature, with a Latin motto saying ‘Peace Under the Sword.’
“I was ashamed of that symbol and was asking for change, and that night the voters in Stockbridge voted similarly to 78 towns and cities throughout Massachusetts that we should change the state flag and motto to better reflect our aspirations for harmonious and respectful relations between all people who now call Massachusetts home. Similarly, Gov. Maura Healey has said, ‘We need to continue to find ways to dismantle systemic racism that unfortunately pervades all aspects of society.’ The fact that this symbol flies in our public schools is more than embarrassment; it’s an active indoctrination in continued systemic racism — the exact thing that the governor called for us to dismantle.
“We all deserve a positive symbol to rally around and under instead of the racist symbol of subjugation and hate that this flag flies. As a voter who has actively watched this process, I am reminding the governor strongly that we have done the work, gotten the votes, jumped through the hoops and heard the rhetoric. We now expect action.
“I look forward to a detailed response from the governor on her plan to remove this shameful and inherently violent image from our public buildings, public schools and official correspondence. What is the clear directive and urgent timeline for the Legislature to act? I would like to megaphone that great work to others so we can support it.”
Heather Campbell, Stockbridge
Send Letters to Governor Healey and Secretary Galvin
Call on them to Change the Flag and Seal!
To receive templates for sample letters to Governor Maura Healey and Secretary of State William Galvin, click on the contact button on the Homepage of changethemassflag.com and ask for Sample Letters to the Governor and the Secretary.
Writing letters is a great activity to share with your house of worship’s social concerns committee, your local racial justice organization, or your circle of friends. Hundreds of these letters have already been mailed to the governor and the secretary, urging them to heed the call of the Indigenous leaders who served on the Special Commission – and the unanimous vote of their colleagues in May of 2022 – for a completely revised flag, seal and motto.
The final report of the Special Commission, (read it here: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/SD2863 ) issued on November 15th, 2023, asked Secretary Galvin to form a working group with an Indigenous co-chair to design a new flag, seal and motto.
Governor Healey pledged in her inaugural address to make “Massachusetts be the place that shines a light on every systemic barrier, and then does the hard work to break them down.”
It is time for Governor Healey and Secretary Galvin to step up and take action to change the flag and seal!
Join in writing letters to these office holders. Contact info@changethemassflag.com for sample letters to the Governor and the Secretary today.