New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has tweaked the official city seal, posting a new version to Twitter that darkens the skin of the two Native American figures depicted in the logo.
The mayor’s Twitter account posted “Notice anything different?” over a picture of the altered seal Friday afternoon.
Cantrell’s campaign account replied to the post with a follow-up: “We live in a diverse city, and now our seal reflects that. #intentionality #inclusion.”
Cantrell’s office did not respond to questions about the change.
The city’s seal features two Native Americans, a man and a woman, standing on either side of a shield featuring another figure — likely representing either Neptune or Old Man River.
A Blake Pontchartrain column in Gambit earlier this year cited the 1938 City Guide as saying the seal dates to 1852 but that explanations of its symbolism are lacking.
Hey Blake,
Various forms of the seal have been used in recent years, including ones with different color schemes and a less stylized version still used by the City Council.
