Five Years After Ditching Seal Tied To Slaveholder, Harvard Law School Unveils New Logo

Following up on my previous post, Harvard Law School Ditches Its Seal Modeled On Family Crest Of 18th Century Slaveholder After Student Protest:  Harvard Law Today, Harvard Law School Unveils New Shield:

Harvard Law School Dean John F. Manning ’85 today announced a new law school shield, which was researched and developed over the past year by a working group of faculty, students, alumni, and staff led by Professor Annette Gordon-Reed ’84. The new design features Harvard’s traditional motto, veritas (Latin for truth) displayed in crimson across the top, resting above the Latin phrase lex et iustitia, or law and justice. The bottom three quarters of the new shield display a series of eight overlapping, curved lines inspired by architectural details found in Austin and Hauser halls.

The new shield was the result of an extensive community outreach process and is designed to represent the broad character and values of Harvard Law School while also working well within the University’s larger suite of shields. Manning endorsed the Working Group’s recommendation and commended the shield to the Harvard Corporation, which approved the new shield last month.

• Above the Law, How Long Would It Take For Harvard Law School To Distance Itself From Slavery?
• Harvard Magazine, University Approves New Law School Shield
• Hyperallergic, After Student Pressure, Harvard Law School Ditches Logo Connected To Slavery
• National Review, Harvard Law School Finally Finds a Seal Bland Enough for 2021

Prior TaxProf Blog coverage:

• Students Demand Harvard Law School Remove Slaveholding Imagery From Its Seal (Nov. 3, 2015)
• Harvard Law Students React To Vandalism On Portraits Of Black Law Profs (Nov. 23, 2015)
• Different Perspectives On The Racial Unrest At Harvard Law School (Nov. 27, 2015)
• Harvard Law Students Issue 7-Page List Of Demands In Wake Of Racial Unrest (Dec. 7, 2015)
• Harvard Law School Ditches Its Seal Modeled On Family Crest Of 18th Century Slaveholder After Student Protest (March 5, 2016)
• A Dozen Suggestions For Harvard Law School's New Shield (Nov. 23, 2019)