Arlington officials have shared five finalists for its new logo and are asking the residents to pick a new insignia for the county. The current logo, for many, is a symbol that represents slavery along with being “divisive and racist.”
Founded in 1876, Arlington was named after General Robert E Lee’s residence, Arlington House. Arlington mainly grew as a cotton-ginning center and by 1910 it could boast of electricity, public school, water and telephone services.
The Arlington County Board, last year, decided to replace the logo and the seal which features the Arlington House and the Robert E. Lee Memorial. An Arlington official said, “The Arlington House symbol represents one of the darkest chapters in our nation’s history: slavery.”
Overlooking the Potomac River, Arlington House was built by enslaved workers and later owned by the General. An enslaver, General Lee led the Confederate Army during the Civil War.
Officials said that a panel had selected five logos earlier this week and the residents of Arlington were asked to select their favorite two. The deadline for which was May 26.
The voting results will be reviewed by the panel before finally making its recommendation to the board in June.
The name “Arlington County” is not likely to change anytime soon despite the logo being updated in the near future. Local NAACP President Julius “JD” Spain, Sr. said, “I believe changing the name of a county is a pretty heavy lift.”
“While removing Arlington’s current symbology does not erase history, developing a new logo helps build a more inclusive and equitable County – with a visual identity that accurately reflects our community’s values and aspirations,” the county said on its website. “We are writing a brighter chapter in Arlington’s story, one that aligns with the County’s important focus on racial equity.”
The official Arlington Twitter handle said, “Voting is now open for Arlington County’s new logo! A panel of community members has narrowed more than 250 submissions to five options – and now it’s your turn to choose!”
Voting is now open for Arlington County's new logo! A panel of community members has narrowed more than 250 submissions to five options–and now it's your turn to choose! Learn more: https://t.co/kjHaL0fHfN pic.twitter.com/q5IqhxarZ8
— Arlington County (@ArlingtonVA) April 26, 2021
Though efforts have been made by officials to come up with the top five logos for the county, not all Arlingtonians are happy with the selection.
One Twitterati commented, “Goodness! Just when I thought the current logo was the worst. Did they try to come up with the lamest and least representative logo for the county? Yuck all around.”
“These are pretty ugly honestly. They are so corporate. It should be more stately and timeless. These will look so dated in a few years,” tweeted another.
Besides having grown up in the design Industry, Christiaan has advised some of the world’s largest companies on their branding & packaging designs. Has been the resident judge for design awards, and has spoken at numerous global design & marketing events. Christiaan founded the London office of the award-winning Cartils agency, and has founded the DesignBro.com platform.
