The NRA Logo PNG
The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is one of the most powerful lobbying organizations in the politics of the US. While its primary aim is gun rights advocacy, it also offers education on firearm safety and competency. The NRA promotes itself by publishing several magazines and sponsoring competitive marksmanship events.
Meaning and history
Just months following the beginning of the Civil War, Americans in England sent a letter to President Abraham Lincoln, in which they included a list of arguments in favor of creating an organization of the same kind as the National Rifle Association that already existed in Britain. In 1871, the NRA was founded in the US. Since then, it has in one way or another had an impact on the laws introduced into the country’s legislative system, took part in or filed lawsuits, and supported or fought with political figures at various levels.
What is the NRA?
The abbreviation “NRA” stands for the National Rifle Association of America. It’s a gun rights advocacy group founded in 1871. It now claims to have around 5 million members.
1871 – present
The old NRA logo features an eagle standing on two crisscrossed guns. Below the guns, there’s a shield combining the stars and stripes from the US Flag. The eagle is encircled by the full name of the organization, which is placed into a stylized banner. The interesting thing about the badge is that the eagle is higher than the US Flag, as if the bird had won a victory over it.
There has been more than one variation of this badge. While they varied in details like font and colors, they shared the same structure and conveyed the same ideas. Although the NRA’s trademark filing stated this badge had been in use since the fall of 1871, it’s not easy to track down the actual situation before the 1940s.
1922 – present (secondary)
In 1922, a secondary National Rifle Association logo was introduced. It was by far simpler—apparently, the association needed something that would be easier to reproduce. There are just the three letters stylized to fill a circle. The roundel logo can be found on issues of The American Rifleman from the 1920s.
????–present (secondary)
This secondary logo is better legible and has a cleaner structure. The price of this simplicity is that this version isn’t as distinctive as the roundel from the 1920s.
Font and Color
The evolution of the typeface on the NRA logo followed the path offered by global design trends: it has been moving towards a simpler, better legible shape. Also, the older versions of the badge have lighter letters. It is only natural that the National Rifle Association wanted to replace them with heavier glyphs that better convey the concept of power.
The choice of colors for the main badge was inspired by the colors of the Flag of the US.
