Arkansas State Motto

Originally: Regnat Populi modified to Regnat Populusfrom the Latin
Originally: The Peoples Rule modified to The People Rule

Arkansas state motto on the Arkansas Territorial Seal Arkansas State Motto shown on the 1864 Arkansas Territorial Seal- Arkansas S.O.S.

The first time the Arkansas state motto appeared was on the Arkansas territorial seal. Although the motto does not appear on the first territorial seal created in 1832 in which the name of the territory was spelled Arkansaw, it did appear on the redesign, dated from 1836 in which the territory name was standardized to the current Arkansas. According to the Arkansas Secretary of State, the design of this seal is credited to Samuel Calhoun Roane. The motto on the 1836 seal is written as Regnat Populi, which means “The Peoples Rule.”

According to the Secretary of State, in 1864 the Assembly adopted a new formula for the seal which survives to this day. Arkansas Code 1-4-108 including a bird holding a scroll in its beak inscribed Regnat Populus, meaning “The People Rule.” However, the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture specifies that the motto wasn’t changed until 1907 when:

An act approved by Acting Governor Xenophon O. Pindall on May 24, 1907, modified the subject to populus, signifying a single group, as in “the people.”

Arkansas State Legislation

1-4-107. State motto.
The motto of the State of Arkansas shall be “Regnat Populus”.
History. Acts 1907, No. 395, § 1, p. 987; C. & M. Dig., § 9181; Pope’s Dig., § 11866;
A.S.A. 1947, § 5-103.

Source: Arkansas Code of 1987, Updated: Februrary 23, 2009

Learning Links for the Arkansas State Motto

Official State Motto
An excellent resource for everything about Arkansas, including the Arkansas state motto.
Source: Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture