| Great Seal of the State of Minnesota | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Armiger | State of Minnesota |
| Adopted | December 19, 2023 (effective May 11, 2024) |
| Motto | Mni Sóta Makoce |
The Great Seal of the State of Minnesota is the state seal of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was adopted on May 11, 2024, alongside the state flag, for Statehood Day. It features a common loon, Minnesota's state bird, wild rice, the state grain, and the North Star, representing the state's motto (L'Étoile du Nord), and is themed around Minnesota's nature. In the inner circle is the phrase Mni Sóta Makoce, the Dakota term for "Land where the water reflects the sky," which is the origin of the state's name.[1]
The previous seal's design drew criticism for its depiction of the relationship between the American settlers and American Indian tribes. In May 2023, the Minnesota Legislature created a commission to change both the seal and the state flag.[2] The commission solicited designs from the public, and then selected a final design from the submissions. On December 5, 2023,[3] they chose the design submitted by Ross Bruggink, with the modifications added on top by the commission.
- ^ Cummings, Caroline; Staff, WCCO (2023-12-05). "Minnesota's new state seal has been chosen — and it has a loon - CBS Minnesota". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
HF1830-ADOPTEDwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ McVan, Madison (5 December 2023). "Commission selects loon-centric design for new Minnesota state seal". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 11 May 2024.