The mayor pledged to reexamine the city’s seal on Monday after a WCBS reporter asked if it was “still relevant” in this day and age.
The century-old seal features a Native American in a loincloth and an early settler holding a long rope with a loop at the end separated by barrels, beavers and a windmill. The rope is actually a device called a plummet used to measure the depth of water, the beavers represent the fur trade, and the barrels and windmill reference the city’s brief time with “monopoly” to mill and export flower.
“This is a little bit out of left field…,” said WCBS reporter Rich Lamb. “It’s a man in pantaloons holding a rope with a loop at the end of it, presumably some kind of trap. And then on the other side of the windmill and a couple of barrels, you have a Native American who is holding a bow.” Lamb said that he began to examine the seal more closely while waiting for the mayor’s daily press conference. “I’m just wondering, whether you or your commission is taking a look at that seal?”
Public art, monuments, flags and seals have come under increased scrutiny as the nation continues to have more conversations about systematic racism during the second wave of the Black Lives Matter movement.
“I think we have to look at a lot of things,” de Blasio responded.” I from time to time have looked at it and it’s a good question. It’s something of an unclear image what it’s saying to us. But I think that’s exactly right, I think its the kind of thing a commission should look at carefully and decide if it’s something that makes sense for the 21 century.”
