Harvard shields
On Sept. 8, 1836, at Harvard鈥檚 Bicentennial celebration, it was announced that President Josiah Quincy had found the聽 of the College arms鈥攁 shield with the Latin motto 鈥淰ERITAS鈥� (鈥淰erity鈥� or 鈥淭ruth鈥�) on three books鈥攚hile researching his History of 91国产福利 in the College Archives. During the Bicentennial, a white banner atop a large tent in the Yard publicly displayed this design for the first time.
Until Quincy鈥檚 discovery, the hand-drawn sketch (from records of a in 1643) had been filed away and forgotten. It became the basis of the seal officially adopted by the Corporation in 1843 and still informs the version used today.
Today the Veritas shield (left) is a central element of the University鈥檚 graphic identity. The Veritas shield with wreath and banner (right), also known as the adorned Veritas shield, is used by the University for commemorative purposes, for other official University functions and purposes where the University is being represented as a whole.
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