ALABAMA
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The 1817 Great Seal of Alabama, originally designed by Governor William Wyatt
Bibb for the Alabama Territory and in use until 1868. [1] This image
of the “original state seal”, with a map of the state nailed to a tree, was
actually not the seal, but a design that was used as a de facto “coat of
arms.” It was referred to as the “arms of the state” or the “arms of
Alabama.” This emblem was published under that designation as early as the
1840s.
Alabama coat of arms, 1876 [2] After the
Civil War a new seal was designed and adopted, showing the American Eagle
standing on the shield of the United States with the stars of the Union added
in the chief. The motto was changed into HERE WE REST. This seal was heraldized into a
coat of arms in the seventies of the 19th century but never became the
official coat of arms of the state. The bill
to legalize a state coat of arms was introduced in the Alabama legislature of
1939 by James Simpson, Jefferson County, and was passed without a dissenting
vote by both houses. The coat of arms consists of a shield on which appears
the emblems of the five governments that have held sovereignty over Alabama.
The flags of Spain, France, Great Britian, the Confederacy are bound by the
flag and shield of the United States. This shield is supported on either side
by bald eagles (Haliætus
leucocephalus - Accipitridæ), symbolic of courage. The crest is a model of the ship, the Baldine,
that Iberville and Bienville sailed from France to settle a colony near
present day Mobile (1699). The motto beneath the shield is “Audemus jura
nostra defendere” (We dare to defend our right). Beneath the motto is the
state name. The
original design of the Alabama coat of arms was made in 1923 by B. J. Tieman,
New York, an authority on heraldry, at the request of Marie Bankhead Owen,
Director of the Department of Archives and History. A few years later Naomi
Rabb Winston, Washington, DC, painted the completed design in oil. Mrs. Owen
selected the motto which was put into Latin by Professor W.B. Saffold, of the
University of Alabama. It was through the influence of Juliet Perry Dixon,
wife of Governor Dixon, that official
action was taken by the legislature. The act
to adopt an official Coat-of-Arms for the State of Alabama was approved March
14, 1939, Act no. 140.[3] Æ See illustration in the head of this essay |
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In 1817, when
William Wyatt Bibb was appointed Governor of the brand new Alabama territory,
Bibb realized he needed an official seal for his commissions and other state
papers. With permission of President James Monroe and a law adopted by
Congress, the territorial governor was authorized to select a design for a
seal. Governor Bibb believed the best seal would be a map of the territory
showing its rivers. The first legislative assembly of 18th of january 1818
accordingly adopted a seal showing the map of the country. with the rivers
covering the entire surface of the seal. The legend reads: ALABAMA EXECUTIVE
OFFICE. [4] |
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Original drawing of the territorial seal
sent by Governor William Wyatt Bibb to
Secretray of State John Quincy Adams to be engraved [5]
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Impression of the
seal
on an 1819 document shortly before Alabama became
a state
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By 1819,
when Alabama became the 22nd state of
the Union, the territorial seal was designated by the first legislature as
the state seal. On 11
January 1861 Alabama left the Union and proclaimed itself a sovereign
republic. On the flag from that time there was a picture of Liberty with a
sword and a flag charged with one star and the word “ALABAMA” below the motto INDEPENDENT NOW AND
FOREVER on the obverse.
On the reverse there was a bush of
cotton and a rattlesnake menacing with the words “NOLI ME TANGERE” (Don’t Touch Me!).[6]
The 1861 flag of Alabama
(reconstruction) Very soon, on 8 February of the same year, the
republic was abolished and Alabama joined the Confederation.
After the end of the Civil War a new seal was
adopted by resolution of 29 December 1868 showing the American Eagle sitting on
the shield of the U.S. (with stars in the chief) and with a ribbon in his
beak with the words “HERE WE REST”. This
motto was the translation, now discredited, of the indian word “alibamo”.
The legend
around the seal became “ALABAMA ¶
GREAT SEAL ¶”.
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This seal was used for 71 years to authenticate
official documents and letterhead. In 1939,
a bill was introduced by the legislature to restore the original seal as the
Great Seal of Alabama. When the bill came up it was approved unanimously by
the Senate and the House. Governor Frank M. Dixon approved the new law and
the Secretary of State had a new Great Seal created. Act no. 20. [7] Indeed,
the seal shows the map of Alabama and its surrounding states and sea. It is
surrounded by the legend ALABAMA ééé GREAT
SEALééé.
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Also, the
Governor flies his own banner: “The
Governor’s personal flag was designed by Hertley A.Moon at least five years
before the present design became official in 1939. It is the same as the State
Flag, except for two additions. The law requires that the seal or the coat of
arms- in practice the coat of arms is used - be added above the saltire, the
State military crest below. This crest shows a cotton boll on a heraldic
wreath of the state colors, white and red.” [8]
Governor’s
Banner The seal of the senate
of Alabama shows the map of Alabama charged with an open book inscribed
with the words LIBERTAS PER LEGE (Freedom through the Law), recharged with a torch. The legend reads: ALABAMA ó STATE SENATE ó. The date of adoption of
this seal has not been communicated yet
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Alabama Army National Guard Element, Joint Force
Headquarters |
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The
Alabama Armed Forces are organised in the Alabama Army National Guard. Its insignia are: |
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Shoulder Sleeve Insignia |
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Description Resting
on a bar of white and red twists, a sprig of cotton plant, green leaves with white
full bursting boll, all on a gray disc 5.72 cm in diameter within a 0.32 cm
blue border. Symbolism Cotton is
a great element of wealth in the State. As the predominant original
settlement within the State was of English origin, the twists of the wreath
are white and red. Background The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved for Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, Alabama Army National Guard on 15 December 1948. The insignia was redesignated for Headquarters, State Area Command, Alabama Army National Guard on 15 August 1985. It was redesignated retroactive to 1 October 2003, for the Alabama Army National Guard Element, Joint Force Headquarters and amended to update the description and add a symbolism. (TIOH Dwg. No. A-1-474) |
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Distinctive Unit Insignia |
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Description A Silver
color metal and enamel device 2.54 cm in height overall consisting of a
shield blazoned: Per chevron reversed debased Gules and Argent, in chief the crest
for the National Guard of the State of Alabama Proper. Attached below the
shield is a Silver scroll inscribed “POPULI
VOLUNTATI SUBSUMUS”
in Red letters. Symbolism Cotton is
a great element of wealth in the State. As the predominant original
settlement within the State was of English origin, the twists of the wreath
are white and red. The motto translates to “To the Will of the People
We Subordinate Ourselves.” Background The
distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the State Staff Corps
and Departments, Alabama National Guard on 16 November 1928. It was
redesignated for Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment and other noncolor
bearing units of the Alabama Army National Guard on 6 June 1969. The
insignia was redesignated with the description amended effective 30 December
1983, for Headquarters, State Area Command, Alabama Army National Guard. It
was redesignated retroactive to 1 October 2003, for the Alabama Army National
Guard Element, Joint Force Headquarters and amended to update the description
and add a symbolism. |
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Crest |
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Description That for
regiments or separate battalions of the Alabama Army National Guard: From a
wreath of colors, a slip of cotton plant with full bursting boll, Proper (The
wreath colors will be the first named metal and non-metal colors in the
shield of the organization’s coat of arms). Symbolism Cotton is
a great element of wealth in the State. Background The crest
for color bearing organizations of the State of Alabama was approved on 10
April 1923. It was amended to correct the blazon and symbolism on 26 November
2007. |
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© Hubert de Vries 2012-09-07. Updated
2019-07-26
Heraldry of the World