New York Logo PNG
New York’s emblem includes many subtle yet historically significant elements, each telling the story of the state’s most important events. The emblem conveys a close connection to America and its ideals.
New York’s history as an organized European settlement began in 1609, when Henry Hudson, an English navigator working for the Dutch East India Company, explored the river later named after him. Dutch traders established posts in 1614, and in 1626, Peter Minuit of the Dutch West India Company purchased Manhattan from local Indigenous people, according to legend, for goods worth about 60 guilders. New Amsterdam became the center of New Netherland.
Dutch rule ended in 1664, when an English fleet entered the harbor without firing and forced the colony to surrender. King Charles II gave the territory to his brother, the Duke of York, and renamed the settlement New York. During the American Revolution, British troops held Manhattan from 1776 to 1783. In 1789, George Washington took the first presidential oath in New York.
The Erie Canal, opened in 1825, linked New York to the Great Lakes and the agricultural Midwest. Goods from the West moved through its port toward Europe, while Boston gradually lost commercial ground. Immigration then reshaped the city. Irish, Germans, Italians, and Eastern European Jews arrived in large numbers, and Ellis Island opened in 1892. By 1900, New York had about 3.5 million residents.
In 1898, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island formed Greater New York. The 20th century brought the Woolworth Building, the Chrysler Building, and the Empire State Building. At the same time, Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange became central to the city’s economy. After the 1929 crash and the Great Depression, the city later faced the 1975 fiscal crisis.
Meaning and History
The coat of arms served as New York’s state seal and great seal. It was designed by a special commission appointed in 1880. It was based on the image on banners during the 1775 Revolution and was officially adopted as the state’s symbol in 1778. It consisted exclusively of the rising sun over the mountains and the motto. A commission added the remaining details, and in 1882, the state assembly officially established the coat of arms. Fourteen years later, minor changes were made to the symbol, which has remained unchanged ever since.
What is New York?
It is an American state where 40% of residents live in one of six major cities, including New York City. Only 15% of New Yorkers live in rural areas. The state thrives on banking and real estate. Despite its American jurisdiction, only 70% of New Yorkers speak English, underscoring the state’s welcoming attitude toward immigrants.
1778 – today
The coat of arms is a circle framed by intertwined cords. The border symbolizes unity, the state’s incorporation into the United States, and the intertwining of liberty and justice that maintains order. The intertwined cords allude to land transactions between natives and settlers. The framing also indicates that the state is home to people from different countries.
Along the inner edge of the circle, an inscription indicates the emblem’s purpose: “Great Seal of the State of New York.”
In the center, between the beginning and end of the inscription, a star and two lilies are directed in opposite directions.
In the center is a shield depicting a sloop and a sailing ship moving on the water against a mountainous backdrop. Given the state’s proximity to the water, the ships symbolize foreign and domestic trade. The river depicted is believed to be the Hudson River flowing through New York City. The rising sun pays homage to the Duke of York, after whom the state and city were named. The celestial body symbolized his lineage.
Two goddesses flank the heraldic shield.
- Liberty is the Roman goddess Libertas. She is dressed in a blue chiton. She holds a rod topped with a Phrygian cap, the forerunner of the pileus. This meant that freed slaves of ancient Rome wore headdresses. Over time, the more modern Phrygian cap replaced it in depictions of the goddess. On seals, the cap often replaces the monarch’s crown, denoting republican rule. In this context, it emphasizes the people’s right to be free from tyranny. On seals, Libertas steps on the British crown, symbolizing the colonies’ liberation from England.
- Justice is the Greek Themis or the Roman Iustitia. She is dressed in a golden chiton. Her eyes are blindfolded, symbolizing impartiality. In one hand, she holds a scale, symbolizing the weighing of good and evil deeds. In the context of the state, this signifies that all are equal before the law. In the other hand, Themis holds a sword of punishment.
The figures embody the founding principles of all states and U.S. laws. Interestingly, both statues look like exact replicas of each other. They have identical faces, flowing hair, pearl tiaras, red sandals, and red cloaks. This image suggests the principles are equivalent and equally important.
Above the shield is a burlet, a border of gold and blue cords symbolizing the intertwining of Liberty and Justice. On it rests the globe. Interestingly, the globe depicts both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, North America and Europe, which have historically been intertwined. Dutch colonists were the first to settle in the state’s lands. Subsequently, the English ruled these territories for a long time. The discovery and settlement of America also reflect Europe’s role.
At the top of the globe, an eagle with outstretched wings looks to the right. The bird symbolizes America, under whose jurisdiction the state is located. The outstretched wings signify protection, and the head turned to the right alludes to the country’s coat of arms, where the eagle faces an olive branch as a sign of peace. This image suggests that America provides peace and prosperity to the nations in its union.
Liberty and Justice stand on a heraldic ribbon inscribed “Excelsior,” conveying the theme of the state’s rise and flourishing. In 2020, the inscription “E Pluribus Unum” (“Out of Many, One”) was added to the United States motto, indicating the country’s formation from its states.
Font and Colors
The emblem’s dominant colors are blue and gold. Blue symbolizes the rivers and oceans surrounding the state and represents freedom. Gold symbolizes the wealth achieved through fair, equal treatment for all residents and free trade. The shadow speaks of the Sun in the heraldry of the man after whom the city was named.
The inscription appears in confident, serif capital letters, emphasizing the state’s importance and the seal’s significance.