Harvard Law School might remove official seal over links to slavery

A committee recommended Harvard Law School remove its official seal Friday, following months of scrutiny surrounding the symbol that has ties to an 18th-century slave owner. The committee’s 10-2 recommendation was backed by Dean Martha Minow, but it wasn’t immediately clear when Harvard Corp., one of the university’s governing boards, will make its final decision.

“We believe that if the Law School is to have an official symbol, it must more closely represent the values of the Law School, which the current shield does not,” the committee made up of professors, alumni, students and staff wrote in its recommendation. The shield’s meaning has changed over time, said Bruce Mann, committee chairman and Harvard Law professor. READ MORE