Blackboard Logo

Blackboard Logo PNG

Simplicity and accessibility are encrypted in the symbols of the emblem, which are complemented by rigor and discipline. “Use the platform’s programs and information to improve your knowledge,” advises the Blackboard logo.

Meaning and History

The development of the service began with the CourseInfo project, which was presented in 1996 by two students of Cornell University – Daniel Cane and Stephen Gilfus. Initially, the program was distributed to schools in the form of an annual FTE licensing.

Then, in 1997, the consulting firm Blackboard LLC appeared. She signed an agreement with the IMS Global Learning Consortium to create an online learning standardization service prototype. Michael Chasen and Matthew Pittinsky handled this work.

What is Blackboard?

Blackboard is an educational technology provider. The company was established in 1997, developing software for educational institutions until it merged with Anthology in 2021. Its most well-known product is Blackboard Learn, a platform that supports communication between students and teachers. It allows the creation of virtual classrooms, assessment of knowledge quality, grading, and much more.

The modern company format emerged in 1998 when the founders of the first two services decided to merge. The formed corporation was named Blackboard Inc., and CourseInfo was abolished (in 2000). In 2004, the private firm went public. In 2011, it was acquired by the international investment company Providence Equity Partners.

Now the services of this Internet platform are used by 17 thousand educational institutions and organizations in one hundred countries of the world. Moreover, this is the data for 2014; therefore, the number of consumers is much higher. The program does not stand still either: it has expanded to seven interconnected courses. Only the logo remains unchanged because users have become accustomed to it and recognize it by its strict design over the years of its existence.

There are two of them – text and graphic. They can be used together or separately. The style of the lettering is business, official. All letters are plain, sans serif, and lowercase (except for the uppercase “B”). Most of the symbols are rounded: the only exceptions are those with no sloping lines. These include the lowercase “l” and “k.” The text color is neutral – black on a white background.

But the icon, on the contrary, has an additional color on the frame, covering the entire perimeter of a small rectangle. It is trimmed in gold along the contour. However, the font in the icon is different because the geometric shape on which the letters are located resembles a blackboard. But in fact, it only depicts the glyph “B” in two versions (lowercase and uppercase). It is placed against the background of the dotted line. Two more thin stripes run at the top and bottom. This letter was chosen on purpose because it begins the name of the Blackboard service.

The typeface used in the logo is of two types – one – in the company’s full name, the second – in the abbreviated one. The second version is very similar to the classic Times New Roman font, used almost everywhere by default. And the first is an exact adaptation of the free Trueno Rg typeface (from Cannot Into Space Fonts).

The color of the emblem is discreet. The verbal part is monochrome and consists of a combination of black and white. The icon is colored gold, white, gray, and black. There is also a slight black gradient in the upper left corner due to highlights.

Blackboard color codes