The Harvard logo is one of the most recognized academic symbols on the planet. Its core, a crimson shield with three open books lettered VE-RI-TAS, goes back to a design ordered by Harvard’s Board of Overseers in 1643, which means the idea is older than almost any logo you can name.
That doesn’t mean it never changed. The shield was forgotten for nearly two centuries, revived in 1836, and the seal built around it was redrawn in 1843, 1847 and 1885. Founded in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States, and the mark carries that history.
Most university logos are rebuilt every few decades. Harvard’s changed mainly in its inscriptions and in whether the third book is open. The logo today pairs the shield with a plain serif wordmark and a color palette of crimson, black and white.
What Is the Harvard Logo?
The Harvard logo is a crimson heraldic shield with three open books lettered VE, RI and TAS, spelling the Latin motto “Veritas,” meaning “truth.” The Board of Overseers ordered the original seal design on December 27, 1643. The shield as it looks today comes from the seals of 1847 and 1885, and it sits beside a serif “Harvard University” wordmark.
| Harvard logo at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Shield with three open books, two above and one below, lettered VE-RI-TAS |
| Designer/agency | Original seal design ordered by the Board of Overseers (1643); the 1885 seal by William Sumner Appleton; most school shields by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1936) |
| Current version since | All three books open on the official seals of 1847, 1885 and 1935 |
| Colors (hex) | Crimson, approx. #A51C30 (the value Harvard’s public health school lists), plus black and white |
| Typeface | Serif capitals; Harvard hasn’t publicly named the typeface. Loosely similar free option: EB Garamond |
| Previous major version | The 1650 seal with the motto “In Christi Gloriam” and a square shield with a chevron |
How Has the Harvard Logo Evolved Over Time?
The Harvard shield has been redrawn several times, but the books and the word “Veritas” are the constant. The version shown above with a laurel wreath and a HARVARD banner is one way the shield has been dressed up. The red shields with a white H in the same graphic are different marks and not the Veritas shield; I couldn’t confirm how Harvard uses them.
The 1643 Design
On December 27, 1643, the Board of Overseers ordered a college seal with a shield, three books and “Veritas.” In this original design the shield had a flat top and a blunt bottom, two books were open, and one showed only its binding. It was filed away and forgotten.
The 1650 Seal (In Christi Gloriam)
In 1650 the Harvard Corporation chose “In Christi Gloriam,” meaning “for the glory of Christ,” as the motto. The 1650 seal had a square shield with three open books separated by a chevron. The inscription around it read “Sigill Col Harvard Cantab Nov Angl 1650.”
The 1836 Rediscovery and the 1843 Seal
President Josiah Quincy III rediscovered “Veritas” in old records, and it reappeared on a banner at the College’s 200th anniversary in 1836. The Corporation adopted a version as the common seal in 1843. Quincy’s seal revived the overturned book, and “Veritas” was set aside for “Christo et Ecclesiae” (“for Christ in the Church”) between 1843 and 1847.
The 1847, 1885 and 1935 Seals
The official seals of 1847, 1885 and 1935 all show three open books. The 1885 “Appleton seal” was designed by William Sumner Appleton (Harvard AB 1860). It has a triangular shield with “Veritas” on the books, “Christo et Ecclesiae” on the border and “Sigillum Academiae Harvardianae in Nov. Ang.” around the outside.
Veritas came back for good after 1880, when Oliver Wendell Holmes’s poem urged Harvard to “let thine earliest symbol be thy last.” For the 1936 Tercentenary, Pierre de Chaignon la Rose designed most of the school shields, which share the three-book top section of the Harvard arms.
What Do the Design Elements of the Harvard Logo Mean?
The meaning is partly documented and partly interpretation. What is documented: three books and the word “Veritas,” which is Latin for “truth.” Everything beyond that is scholarly reading, which is flagged below.
What Does the Shield Shape Represent?
The shield is a heraldic symbol with centuries of tradition behind it. In the psychology of shapes, shields suggest protection and authority, though that is a general design reading and not something Harvard states.
The shape also creates a strong focal point. Your eye goes straight to the three books and the lettering.
What Do the Three Books Mean?
Scholars read the two open books at the top as the Old and New Testaments, and the third as the future truth of Christ’s second coming, reflecting Puritan ideas. In the 1643 design and in Quincy’s 1843 seal, one book is overturned. Robert C. Winthrop offered a lighter reading: the closed book encouraged men to be “careful to look at both sides” of any question.
The overturned book still survives on the John Harvard Statue and on the outside of Austin Hall. On the official seals, all three books are open.
What Are the Harvard Logo Colors?
Harvard’s colors are crimson, white and black. The crimson in the shield is approx. #A51C30, the value Harvard’s public health school lists for its crimson, with RGB (165, 28, 48). Harvard’s central pages I could open don’t publish one master hex, so the exact figure varies between schools and the CMYK and Pantone values aren’t given here. The books and lettering are white, and the colors follow a monochrome color idea with crimson as the single accent.
The story of the color is documented. In 1858, crew members Charles Eliot and Benjamin Crowninshield bought red handkerchiefs for a regatta, and the color caught on. In the 1860s magenta competed with it, and crimson won out at a regatta meeting in 1875. On May 23, 1910, the Harvard Corporation officially designated crimson as the school color. Many accounts call that a student vote, but the 1910 designation was the Corporation’s decision.
The psychology behind red is energy and tradition, but for Harvard the story starts with a rowing scarf. Harvard’s own color theory is really color history.
What Font Does the Harvard Logo Use?
Harvard hasn’t publicly named the typeface used in its logo, so the often-repeated “Garamond” is unconfirmed. The “Harvard University” wordmark is a serif font in capitals with small-capital lettering for “University,” and the “Veritas” letters on the books are a classical serif too.
For a loosely similar look in your own work, an old-style serif like EB Garamond gets close to the feel, though it isn’t the logo’s font. Other Harvard schools have their own identity typography elements and wordmarks, so the exact fonts vary by school.
The “VERITAS” lettering on the shield is split across the books as VE, RI and TAS, with generous tracking, which gives it a formal, engraved quality. General typography choices follow the same classical style.
What Does Veritas Mean?
“Veritas” is Latin for “truth.” The longer phrase “Christo et Ecclesiae” (“for Christ in the Church,” also rendered “for Christ and the Church”) appeared on the 1843 to 1847 seal and on the border of the 1885 seal, and the 1650 motto was “In Christi Gloriam.” Today the shield uses “Veritas” alone.
Are There Hidden Meanings in the Harvard Logo?
Nothing hidden has been documented. The most discussed detail is the overturned third book of the early versions, and that reading belongs to scholars, not to Harvard’s identity office. The laurel wreath on the dressed-up version is a general academic-achievement convention, and Harvard hasn’t said more.
How Does the Harvard Logo Compare to Competitor Logos?
Among Ivy League and top-tier universities, Harvard’s shield is among the plainest. Princeton’s logo carries a more ornate shield, and Columbia University’s mark sits a crown atop its design. Stanford’s logo includes a tree, and Oxford’s emblem goes further with an open book, three crowns and banners.
Harvard’s approach is different: three books, one word, one color. That simplicity helps at small sizes and across different media.
The MIT logo goes in a completely different direction with a modernist wordmark. Yale and Duke also use shield-based emblems. In the red logo space, Harvard’s restraint stands out, and it’s closer in spirit to tech company logos than its heraldry suggests.
What Cultural Impact Has the Harvard Logo Had?
The Harvard shield is one of the most recognized academic symbols worldwide. It shaped how other universities approach shields, Latin mottos and one-hue palettes.
The logo appears often in film, television and media as shorthand for elite education. The “Veritas” motto has also taken on a life beyond Harvard as a general symbol for the pursuit of truth.
A Harvard flag even flew aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis in 1991 for six days, according to Harvard’s own history notes.
How Does the Harvard Logo Fit Into the Overall Brand Identity?
The Harvard logo sits at the center of a larger identity system that includes school shields, brand guidelines and name-use policies. Every graduate school has its own shield, and most share the three-book top section of the Harvard arms. That shared element creates unity across a decentralized institution.
Harvard publishes graphic identity guidelines, and the university runs on a brand style guide approach, with schools such as Harvard Business School publishing their own rules. The result is a visual hierarchy where the university mark sits at the top and school shields follow.
How Should the Harvard Logo Be Used?
Harvard treats its name and shield as protected trademarks and runs a Trademark Program for licensing. For anything beyond editorial use, such as merchandise or advertising, you need permission from the university.
As generic advice, not a statement of Harvard’s rules: don’t alter a trademarked emblem’s colors or proportions, avoid combining it with other graphics, and for print check that your crimson matches the source file. Editorial uses that identify the university are treated differently from commercial ones.
FAQ on the Harvard Logo
What does the Harvard logo look like?
The Harvard logo is a crimson shield with three open books lettered VE, RI and TAS, forming “Veritas.” It usually appears beside a serif “Harvard University” wordmark. A version with a laurel wreath and a HARVARD banner has also been used.
When was the Harvard shield first created?
The Board of Overseers ordered a college seal with a shield, three books and “Veritas” on December 27, 1643. It was forgotten until President Josiah Quincy III rediscovered “Veritas” in old records, and it reappeared on a banner at the 1836 bicentennial.
What does Veritas mean on the Harvard crest?
“Veritas” is Latin for “truth.” Longer mottos have appeared on seals: “In Christi Gloriam” in 1650, and “Christo et Ecclesiae” (for Christ in the Church) from 1843 to 1847 and on the 1885 border. The shield today uses “Veritas” alone.
What font does the Harvard logo use?
Harvard hasn’t publicly named it. The wordmark is a classic serif, and EB Garamond is a loosely similar free option. The popular claim that the logo is set in Garamond is unconfirmed.
What are the official Harvard logo colors?
Crimson, white and black. The crimson is approx. #A51C30, the value Harvard’s public health school lists. The Corporation officially designated crimson in 1910.
What did the old Harvard logo look like?
The 1643 design had a flat-topped shield with two open books and one showing its binding. The 1650 seal had a square shield with three open books around a chevron and the motto “In Christi Gloriam.” The 1885 seal had a triangular shield and “Christo et Ecclesiae” on the border.
Why does Harvard’s logo have three books?
Harvard’s own sources document the three books and “Veritas” but not a single official meaning. Scholars read the two upper books as the Old and New Testaments, and the third as future truth. That is interpretation, not an official statement.
Does each Harvard school have its own logo?
Yes. Harvard Business School, Harvard Law School, Harvard Medical School and other schools have their own shields, and most of those drawn for the 1936 Tercentenary were designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose.
How does the Harvard logo compare to other university emblems?
Harvard’s shield is simpler than most. Columbia adds a crown, Princeton a more ornate shield, and Stanford a tree. Harvard keeps three books and one word.
Can I use the Harvard logo for my own products?
Not without permission. Harvard protects its name and shield as trademarks and licenses them through its Trademark Program, so merchandise or commercial use needs approval.
Conclusion
The Harvard logo has kept its core for nearly four centuries. That says something about the strength of the original idea.
Three books, one Latin word, a crimson shield. It works because it never tried to do too much, and the changes over time were mostly to mottos and to whether the third book is open.
Harvard’s trademark protection and brand guidelines keep the identity consistent across schools. It’s proof that minimalist design, when rooted in real meaning, doesn’t need updating every decade to stay relevant.
Sources
- Harvard Gazette, Seal of approval – https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2015/05/seal-of-approval
- Harvard Library, Seals of 1650, 1843, and 1885 (Harvard Presidential Insignia) – https://guides.library.harvard.edu/c.php?g=880222&p=6323074
- Harvard Law School, Seal of approval: the long, swirling history of Harvard arms – https://hls.harvard.edu/today/seal-approval-long-swirling-history-harvard-arms
- Harvard Art Museums, The Colorful History of Crimson at Harvard – https://harvardartmuseums.org/article/the-colorful-history-of-crimson-at-harvard
- Wikipedia, Heraldry of Harvard University – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraldry_of_Harvard_University
- Wikipedia, Harvard University – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_University
Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.
His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.
He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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Bogdan Sandu is a seasoned designer who has been designing websites since 2008. Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients. His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8. He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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