The state motto of North Carolina is Esse quam videri, a Latin phrase meaning “to be rather than to seem.” The General Assembly adopted it on February 21, 1893, and directed that it be engraved on the Great Seal and coat of arms of the state.1NCpedia. Esse Quam Videri
Where the Phrase Comes From
The line is Cicero’s. It appears in his essay De Amicitia (“On Friendship”), and it carries the sense of valuing real character over the appearance of it. The phrase traveled from classical Rome into North Carolina law through Walter Clark, a judge and historian who selected it and drafted the bill proposing it as the official state motto. Senator Jacob Battle of Nash County introduced the bill, and the General Assembly passed it on February 21, 1893.1NCpedia. Esse Quam Videri
Clark’s choice was deliberate. He wanted a phrase rooted in classical ideals of honesty and integrity rather than anything partisan, and he chose one grounded in a value with staying power.2NC DNCR. Classical Origins of the State’s Motto
Where You’ll See It
The motto’s official home is the Great Seal of North Carolina, which functions as the emblem of the state’s authority and appears on all official state documents. The seal is prescribed by statute and shows two figures: Liberty, standing with a pole and cap symbolizing freedom from bondage, and Plenty, seated with a cornucopia representing food and abundance.3North Carolina General Assembly. Great Seal of the State of North Carolina – Great Seal of NC Explanation
It is worth clearing up a frequent mix-up. The motto does not appear on the North Carolina state flag. The flag carries a blue union with a white star between the letters “N” and “C,” and two gilt scrolls bearing the dates “May 20th 1775” and “April 12th 1776,” which mark steps toward independence.4North Carolina General Assembly. NC General Statutes Chapter 144 – State Flag If you want to see Esse quam videri on something official, look at the seal.
Can a Business Use the Motto?
The Latin phrase itself is ancient and in the public domain, but its tie to North Carolina’s official identity is protected at the federal level. Under the Lanham Act, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will refuse to register any trademark that “consists of or comprises the flag or coat of arms or other insignia of the United States, or of any State or municipality, or of any foreign nation, or any simulation thereof.”5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 US Code 1052 – Trademarks Registrable on Principal Register Because the motto is part of the Great Seal, any mark that incorporates or simulates the seal’s design will be rejected, even if the applicant only wanted the Latin words.
At the state level, be careful with older sources. North Carolina once criminalized certain misuses of the seal under N.C.G.S. ยง 14-78.1, but that section was repealed by Session Laws 1994, Extra Session, Chapter 14, Section 72(1).6North Carolina General Assembly. NC General Statutes Chapter 14 Article 16 If you are considering a commercial use that involves the seal or motto, check the current General Statutes or ask the Secretary of State’s office rather than relying on the repealed provision.
Can the State Make You Display It?
No. A state can put its motto on official property, but it cannot force private citizens to carry the message on theirs. In Wooley v. Maynard (1977), the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a New Hampshire law requiring drivers to display the state motto “Live Free or Die” on their license plates. The Court held that the First Amendment protects both the right to speak and the right to refrain from speaking, and that forcing someone to carry an ideological message on personal property “invades the sphere of intellect and spirit which it is the purpose of the First Amendment to our Constitution to reserve from all official control.”7Justia U.S. Supreme Court Center. Wooley v Maynard, 430 US 705
New Hampshire had offered two justifications: easier vehicle identification and promotion of state pride. The Court found the first could be achieved without a motto, and the second could not outweigh an individual’s right not to become “the courier for such message.” The ruling applies to every state. North Carolina could not require residents or businesses to display Esse quam videri on their own property without running into the same constitutional barrier.
Why the Motto Still Matters
As a philosophical principle rather than a legal rule, the motto does not create rights or duties you can sue over. North Carolina courts do not decide cases on whether a government action lived up to “to be rather than to seem.” Its force is rhetorical: officials invoke it when arguing for transparency or against conduct they view as deceptive, and it operates more like a preamble than a statute, setting a tone without dictating outcomes. More than 130 years after adoption, the phrase still stands on the Great Seal, holding its original meaning intact.