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Seal of the president of the United States

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Seal of the President of the United States, official impression
Seal of the President of the United States, official impression

The Seal of the President of the United States is based on the Great Seal of the United States.

The first U.S. President to use a presidential seal was Rutherford B. Hayes; in 1880, Hayes used the seal for White House invitations. Harry S. Truman had the seal redesigned on October 26, 1945, adding the circle of stars and re-orienting the eagle towards its own right, making the seal consistent with long-established heraldic custom. The fact that it was now facing the olive branch, thus symbolizing that the United States favors peace, was given as an explanation for the change.[1]

Many people erroneously believe that the seal is changed during times of war, so that the eagle faces the arrows in its left talon. This belief may have arisen because major changes to the seal have coincidentally been made before or after wars.[2] This misconception could also have arisen through the comments of Winston Churchill who, jokingly, criticized Truman's redesign of the seal stating that "Mr. President, with the greatest respect, I would prefer the American eagle's neck to be on a swivel so that it could face the olive branches or the arrows, as the occasion might demand". In an episode of The West Wing, Admiral Percy Fitzwallace (played by actor John Amos) incorrectly mentions that the seal is changed during wartime.

The seal is most often seen:

  • on the lectern at presidential press conferences (the words "Seal of the President of the United States" sometimes adorn the "eagle-within-stars" design)
  • on White House documents, however the words "Seal of the President of the United States" are not used
  • on the sides of presidential transports Air Force One, Marine One, and the Presidential limousine.
  • at the center of the iconic and symbolic oval rug in the Oval Office of the White House, however the words "Seal of the President of the United States" are not used
  • on the Presidential Flag, however the words "Seal of the President of the United States" are not used
  • etched in gold onto Presidential China, such as the Reagan China, which is often used at State Dinners at the White House
  • on packets of M&M's handed out to guests at the White House on some occasions
  • on the reverse of the Kennedy half-dollar coin, however the words "Seal of the President of the United States" are not used, but rather "United States of America" on the top and "Half Dollar" on the bottom

Additional stars have been added to the seal as other states have joined the Union. The last additional star, the 50th, was added with the admission of Hawaii in 1959.

Unofficial use

Although unofficial use of the seal does not have to be authorized, its usage can garner a request by White House lawyers to discontinue its use. On September 28, 2005, Grant M. Dixton associate counsel to George W. Bush, requested that the satirical newspaper The Onion remove the Presidential Seal from its website.[3][4]

The seal is sometimes used in modified form as a marketing tool. The punk rock group the Ramones used the seal as their logo, replacing the arrows with a baseball bat. Blink 182 and other bands have also used the logo on T-shirts. Some fashion brands (mainly for teenagers) have also used the logo as an added design for accessories like bags. In addition, the animated menu sequence on all DVDs of The West Wing contains a slightly altered version of the seal. It is also used by rap group The Diplomats as their trademark logo, except that the olive branch and arrows are usually replaced by two guns and the word "Diplomats" is across the center of the eagle.

Use in retail sales

The seal of the President has also been used for some retail purposes. In general, commercial use of the seal is prohibited by Section 18 USC 713[5] of the United States Code, however the US Secret Service is authorized to use the seal in conjunction to fund raising sales for its charitable benefit fund. Currently the '1600 for Men' line of toiletries bears the seal and includes items such as antibacterial wash, shaving cream, aftershave and soap. Link to 1600 For Men

References

  1. ^ "George Elsey's 'Unplanned Life'". Retrieved December 28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Snopes.com (2006). A Turn of the Head. Retrieved May 18, 2006.
  3. ^ Seelye, Katharine Q. (24 October 2005). "Protecting the Presidential Seal. No Joke". The New York Times. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help) (TimesSelection subscription required)
  4. ^ "White House to Onion: Stop using seal". Retrieved October 25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help) (Archived by Archive.org)
  5. ^ [http://uscode.house.gov/uscode-cgi/fastweb.exe?getdoc+uscview+t17t20+458+0++()%20%20AND%20 U.S. House of Representatives, 18 USC Sec. 713. Use of likenesses of the great seal of the United States,....
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