City of Jackson Looking for Designer of New Official City Seal

If you are a designer or a design company, the City of Jackson and the Jackson Public Arts Commission would love to see your proposal for a new official City Seal!

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Why The Change

According to a recent "News Flash" from the City of Jackson, "An updated design is sought by the City to present a seal that is more specific to the Jackson community and represents its diversity."

The current seal has been in use since 1937 so an updated one in general would be refreshing; however, it goes a bit deeper than that.

Currently, the City Seal features an image in reference to a statue in Washington D.C. of President Andrew Jackson, riding a rearing horse while holding his hat in the air, as he is the City's namesake.

After the murder of George Floyd, when conversations and ongoing dialogue about racial equity opened up nationwide and in the Jackson community, the City of Jackson said they felt the need to reevaluate the Andrew Jackson imagery.

"Andrew Jackson was a slave holder who signed the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which led to the forced relocation of Native Americans along the 'Trail of Tears'," said the City. "Because of this, some have called for the removal of the D.C. statue that the City Seal is based on."

Moving Forward From Jackson's Current Seal

After already making moves to use a different logo and color scheme for other purposes and conversations around Andrew Jackson, city officials say a unanimous vote by the Jackson City Council was made in 2020 to have the Jackson Public Arts Commission (JPAC) start the process of a redesign.

"A community with so much pride in its rich history and forward momentum deserves a better City Seal,” said Jackson Mayor Derek Dobies. "Cities evolve over nearly 200 years. Our City imagery should represent how we feel about Jackson in 2021 and reflect our current diversity."

How To Submit Designs

The City of Jackson lays out the specifications for the designs saying they must be the following:

Circular
Include the name "City of Jackson"
Note the community's founding year - 1829
No references to Andrew Jackson

Designers who are interested have until July 15th to submit their proposals and from there JPAC commissioners will present their top two choices to the City Council in September.

CLICK HERE for more information on how and where to send in submissions.

Chair of JPAC, Angela Edward, told the City of Jackson, "JPAC will be looking for seal designs that encompass integrity, inclusivity, and a more current representation of how the City identifies itself."

Good luck and happy designing!