University of Alabama Logo

University of Alabama Logo PNG

Fire and passion embody the logo of the University of Alabama, along with love for one’s land. In the symbols of the emblem, orderliness and a harmonious combination of educational programs and students’ extracurricular activities can be traced.

Meaning and History

In 1818 the United States Congress authorized the newly created Alabama Territory to establish a seminary. After a search for the necessary acreage, 46,000 acres were granted. In 1820 the state’s general assembly used them to establish the university and appoint a board of trustees to oversee its construction. Then began the active work of designing and implementing it. At the same time, the charter of the institution of higher education and its visual paraphernalia were being drafted and agreed upon. The construction process took more than ten years, and in 1831 the college enrolled its first students.

At first (in pre-war time), the university was an academic institution focusing on classics, natural and social sciences. As it developed, literary culture and verbal arts were consolidated within its walls. Before the civil war, it had the largest library in the country, numbering over seven thousand volumes. It was home to several large literary societies (among them Erosophic and Phi Beta Kappa), where prominent literary figures and prominent politicians gave lectures.

However, the discipline of the liberal arts institution was lame on both feet. The administration tried to impose strict rules of conduct from the very beginning, but all in vain. Students behaved as freely as they could, so shootouts were not uncommon. Eventually, tired of the problems, the university administration decided to turn it into a military school. Today, it is a concentration of several cultural sites, museums, and historical landmarks. Because of the Latin motto The Capstone of Higher Education, which Bama has adopted, it is tacitly referred to as The Capstone.

Unlike the seal, the university-wide logo contains only text. The name is placed in two rows: the top row is “The University of,” and the bottom row is “Alabama.” The first row is typed in small capital letters, the second – very large characters with extensions at the ends, which smoothly pass into miniature serifs. The color palette of the emblem is corporate – it includes crimson, cool gray, and white.

The Seal

The seal depicts more than just a woman: it is the ancient Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, rights, art, commerce, and strategy, Minerva. She also patronized poetry, medicine, music, and crafts. With her right hand, the goddess touches a large globe, and with her left holds an olive branch. At her feet are a book leaning on the globe’s base and a scroll lying on the grass.

Behind her is a picture of the rising sun with two rows of rays, long and short. It represents enlightenment and the thirst for knowledge. On the sides are bushes. All of this is the central part of the logo, followed by a wide ring with the university’s name and the year it opened for the admission of students. The lettering is in Helvetica Bold font. The inner line surrounding the middle is decorated with a dot ornament. The outer border is tightly wrapped with a thin ribbon. The print is in monochrome and has no color elements at all.

Font and Colors

The University of Alabama’s identity is classic and varied. It does not reflect any parallels with the academic seal, but there is a connection between the logos of the athletic department and the university. It’s mostly about the color scheme. On the other hand, the seal is a digression into the history and humanitarian activities of the university.

The Helvetica Bold typeface was chosen for the logos, so the grotesque is predominant. It is used for the lettering on the seal and the upper line of the university emblem, while the lower line has small serifs. The official UA palette includes crimson, white, and cool gray.

University of Alabama color codes