The Great Seal of the
State of Mississippi
Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...
was adopted in 2014, replacing a previous version that had been used since the 19th century.
Design
The eagle is positioned in the center of the seal, with its wings spread wide and its head held high. Stars and stripes adorn its chest. In its talons, the eagle grasps an olive branch symbolizing a desire for peace and a quiver of arrows representing the power to wage war. The outer circle of the seal contains the text "The Great Seal of the State of Mississippi" at the top and the words "
In God We Trust
"In God We Trust" (also rendered as "In God we trust") is the United States national motto, official motto of the United States as well as the motto of the U.S. state of Florida, along with the nation of Nicaragua (Spanish language, Spanish: '' ...
" at the bottom.
[ The ]governor of Mississippi
The governor of Mississippi is the head of government of Mississippi and the commander-in-chief of the U.S. state, state's Mississippi National Guard, military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either appro ...
is tasked by the constitution with safeguarding the seal.
History
The first Mississippian governmental seal was adopted on January 19, 1798,[ when it was organized under the name of the ]Mississippi Territory
The Territory of Mississippi was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that was created under an organic act passed by the United States Congress, Congress of the United States. It was approved and signed into law by Presiden ...
.
After it became a state in 1817, the same seal was designated as the state's seal the following year. In July 2014, Mississippi adopted a new seal, which is still in use today.[
On January 31, 2014, purportedly to defend ]religious freedom
Freedom of religion or religious liberty, also known as freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice ...
, Mississippi's state senate voted to add the words, "In God We Trust" to the state seal and the change was unilaterally made effective on July 1, 2014.Mississippi Territory
The Territory of Mississippi was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that was created under an organic act passed by the United States Congress, Congress of the United States. It was approved and signed into law by Presiden ...
(1798–1817)
File:Seal of Mississippi (1818-2014).svg, Seal of Mississippi (1818–2014)
See also
*List of Mississippi state symbols
The following is a list of state symbols of the United States, U.S. state of Mississippi, as defined by state statutes in Title 1, Section 3 of the Mississippi Code of 1972 and listed in the ''Mississippi Official & Statistical Register''.
Insigni ...
* Coat of arms of Mississippi
*Flag of Mississippi
The flag of the U.S. state of Mississippi consists of a white magnolia blossom surrounded by 21 stars and the words "In God We Trust" written below, all put over a blue Canadian pale with two vertical gold borders on a red Glossary of vexillolo ...
References
External links
*
{{Mississippi
Symbols of Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...
Coats of arms with eagles
Coats of arms with stars
Coats of arms with arrows
Coats of arms with olive branches
Religion in the United States