Seal of Alabama: Difference between revisions
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==Seals== | ==Seals== | ||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
Image:1817 Alabama seal.png|depiction of 1817 seal | |||
Image:1817 Alabama seal button.jpg|1817 seal on a state militia uniform button, c. 1860 | |||
Image:1817 Alabama seal currency.jpg|1817 seal on a Confederate 25¢ note issued 1863 | |||
Image:1868 Alabama seal.jpg|1868 seal | Image:1868 Alabama seal.jpg|1868 seal | ||
Image:1868 Alabama seal BW.jpg|engraved version of 1868 seal | |||
Image:1868 Alabama seal variant.jpg|variant of 1868 seal without border | Image:1868 Alabama seal variant.jpg|variant of 1868 seal without border | ||
Image:Alabama Great Seal BW.png|line drawing of 1939 seal | Image:Alabama Great Seal BW.png|line drawing of 1939 seal | ||
Image:Alabama Great Seal Natl Cathedral.jpg|seal in the narthex of the National Cathedral | |||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
Revision as of 22:47, 27 February 2011
The Seal of Alabama or Alabama Great Seal is the official seal used by the State of Alabama on official proclamations and commissions. The basic design, showing the state's system of rivers, was chosen by William Bibb in 1817, while he was the Governor of the Alabama Territory.
That Territorial Seal was adopted as the State's Great Seal by the Alabama Legislature in 1819. Although it shared the same primary design elements as the current seal, the original seal was described in 1880 as "a rude outline map of the State displayed on a tree, without legend or motto."1.
The design was replaced with a new seal on December 29, 1868. The wording of Act 1868-133 was as follows:
The seal is in the form of a circle, and two and a quarter inches in diameter; near the edge is the word 'ALABAMA' and opposite, at the same distance from the edge, are the words 'GREAT SEAL.' In the centre of the seal an eagle is represented with raised wings alighting upon the national shield, with three arrows in his left talon. The eagle holds in his beak a streamer, on which immediately over the wings are the words 'HERE WE REST.' The crest-word, which give name to the State, signifies "The land of rest."2.
In 1939, at the request of Governor Frank Dixon, the original design was returned to use during a special session by Act No. 39-20, Ex. Sess. The wording of that law was as follows:
The seal shall be circular, and the diameter thereof two and a quarter inches; near the edge of the circle shall be the word "Alabama," and opposite this word, at the same distance from the edge, shall be the words, "Great Seal." In the center of the seal there shall be a representation of a map of the state with its principal rivers. The seal shall be called the "Great Seal of the State of Alabama." The seal shall be kept and used as required by the Constitution and laws.3.
The use of stars in the border, the specific design of the letterforms and the map image, the labeling of adjacent states and the Gulf of Mexico, and the application of colors to the seal are not described in the law.
The seal's custodian as the Alabama Secretary of State, who is charged with affixing it to official documents and executive records (those signed by the Governor). The colors used above are based on a depiction on the Secretary of State's website.
Seals
depiction of 1817 seal
1817 seal on a state militia uniform button, c. 1860
- 1817 Alabama seal currency.jpg
1817 seal on a Confederate 25¢ note issued 1863
1868 seal
engraved version of 1868 seal
variant of 1868 seal without border
line drawing of 1939 seal
seal in the narthex of the National Cathedral
Notes
- Preble-1880
- ibid.
- Acts of Alabama 1939, Ex. Sess., No. 20
References
- Preble, George Henry (1880) History of the flag of the United States of America. A. Williams & Company
External links
- Alabama Emblems: Great Seal at archives.alabama.gov
- Office of the Secretary at sos.state.al.us