Fact Friday 446 - Charlotte's Original Collegiate Colors
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Did you know that Charlotte’s colors weren’t always green and gold?
The Charlotte Center at the University of North Carolina (CCUNC) rocked maroon and gray until 1961, when students of the new Charlotte College voted to change their mascot to the 49ers and their colors to light blue and white. Four years later in 1965 when Charlotte College became the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, another student vote changed the colors to green and white.
Charlotte’s logos have changed alongside its color--to reflect CCUNC's courses held at night as a result of its shared space with Central High School, students chose the ‘Night Owls’ to represent the Charlotte Center.
In 1965 the new UNC Charlotte seal incorporated design elements significant to the university: the tulip columns of the Kennedy Building, double Cs in the center for the university’s origins as Charlotte College, and a pinecone at the bottom to represent the state of NC. Designer Jack Pentes wanted the new logo to “convey the image of an innovative and contemporary university." In 1988, UNCC introduced its ‘Crown’ logo to replace Pentes’ logo. Designer Joe Sonderman sought to forge a connection between the university and the city of Charlotte.
Increased media coverage of the school often confused the name of the university, referring to it as N.C.-Charlotte, North Carolina-Charlotte, and others, leading to the Athletics Department’s decision to change its name to ‘Charlotte’ in 2000. Alongside the name change, new logos featuring the iconic miner’s pick were released.
Familiar to most current students is the ongoing rebrand of the university to adopt the name ‘Charlotte’ across the school and the usage of the new “All-in-C” logo, beginning in 2020.
The Charlotte Center at the University of North Carolina (CCUNC) rocked maroon and gray until 1961, when students of the new Charlotte College voted to change their mascot to the 49ers and their colors to light blue and white. Four years later in 1965 when Charlotte College became the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, another student vote changed the colors to green and white.
Charlotte’s logos have changed alongside its color--to reflect CCUNC's courses held at night as a result of its shared space with Central High School, students chose the ‘Night Owls’ to represent the Charlotte Center.
In 1965 the new UNC Charlotte seal incorporated design elements significant to the university: the tulip columns of the Kennedy Building, double Cs in the center for the university’s origins as Charlotte College, and a pinecone at the bottom to represent the state of NC. Designer Jack Pentes wanted the new logo to “convey the image of an innovative and contemporary university." In 1988, UNCC introduced its ‘Crown’ logo to replace Pentes’ logo. Designer Joe Sonderman sought to forge a connection between the university and the city of Charlotte.
Increased media coverage of the school often confused the name of the university, referring to it as N.C.-Charlotte, North Carolina-Charlotte, and others, leading to the Athletics Department’s decision to change its name to ‘Charlotte’ in 2000. Alongside the name change, new logos featuring the iconic miner’s pick were released.
Familiar to most current students is the ongoing rebrand of the university to adopt the name ‘Charlotte’ across the school and the usage of the new “All-in-C” logo, beginning in 2020.
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“History is not the past, it is the present. We carry our history with us. We are our history.” - James Baldwin