Arkansas State Seal

History of the Arkansas State Seal

Arkansas state seals - Courtesy of the Arkansas Secretary of State

The Arkansas State Seal was based on the Arkansas Territorial Seal shown here in the version printed in 1832, designed by Samuel Calhoun Roane (in 1820 according to The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. It went through four primary changes. The first one in 1835, while Arkansas was still a territory, added the state motto in it’s original form: Regnan Populi, and changed the name of the territory to the now accepted Arkansas from Arkansaw among other changes.

The second occurred when Arkansas became a state a year later, the State Seal underwent a major change as it was changed to The Great Seal of Arkansas and the symbols were modified to better reflect the fledgling state. According to the Arkansas Secretary of State, a third alteration took place when “{a]n 1856 enactment specified the “impressions, emblems and devices” to be included in all renderings of the state seal. The law named some 20 elements, words and phrases.”

Almost a decade later (in 1864) the Arkansas State Assembly decided on 108 elements that would be necessary for the design of the Official State Seal of Arkansas, and those elements still comprise the current state seal. (See Arkansas Code 1-4-108 below) The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture specifies that the seal went through a fifth change in 1907 when the state motto was changed to Regnan Populus, the only deviation from the 1864 description.

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Arkansas Legislation on the Arkansas State Seal

(a) It shall be the duty of the Governor to procure a seal for the State of Arkansas, which shall present the following impressions, devices, and emblems, to wit: An eagle at the
bottom, holding a scroll in its beak, inscribed “Regnat Populus”, a bundle of arrows in one claw and an olive branch in the other; a shield covering the breast of the eagle, engraved with a steamboat at top, a beehive and plow in the middle, and sheaf of wheat at the bottom; the Goddess of Liberty at the top, holding a wreath in her right hand, a pole in the left hand, surmounted by a liberty cap, and surrounded by a circle of stars outside of which is a circle of rays; the figure of an angel on the left, inscribed “Mercy”, and a sword on the right hand, inscribed “Justice”, surrounded with the words “Seal of the State of Arkansas”.

(b) The Secretary of State, Auditor of State, and Treasurer of State shall each have a seal of office presenting the impressions, devices, and emblems presented by the Seal of State except that the surrounding words on the Secretary of State’s seal shall be “Seal of the Secretary of State, Arkansas”, on the Auditor of State’s seal shall be “Seal of the Auditor of State, Arkansas”, and on the Treasurer of State’s seal shall be “Seal of the Treasurer of State, Arkansas”.

(c) All official seals used in the state shall present the same impressions, emblems, and
devices presented by the Seal of State, except that the surrounding words shall be such as
to indicate the office to which each seal belongs.

History. Acts 1864, No. 1, §§ 1-3, p. 31; C. & M. Dig., §§ 2096, 9142-9144; Pope’s Dig.,
§§ 2700, 11804-11806; A.S.A. 1947, §§ 5-104 — 5-106.