The Centre for Canadiens of African Descent (CCAD) is a revival of the Negro Community Centre (NCC). Once a thriving resource for Montreal’s Black community, hosting the likes of Nelson Mandela and Oscar Peterson, the NCC ceased activity in the early 90s and the historic building of the centre was demolished in 2014.
The CCAD’s mission is to revive and preserve the legacy of the NCC by becoming a modern version of what once was. However, the organisation lacked the direction and vision needed to reintroduce the centre under its new name and rebuild confidence in the centre after its past struggles to maintain its standing in the community.
THE SOLUTION
Six Cinquième helped the CCAD team define and align the organisation’s vision for the future, and designed a brand identity that would help them bring this new vision to life.
The logo is designed to highlight how unique and layered the Canadian Black experience is. Black Canadians are not a monolith. We come from diverse backgrounds and have rich cultural identities, and yet we are united through our experiences living and being Black in the Canadian landscape.
THE SOLUTION
The outlined patterns used specifically in the “C” and “A” acknowledge and highlight this rich and layered experience of having dual Canadian and African heritage, which simultaneously unites and differentiates us.
The logo also creates a pattern which can be interpreted as a modern take on those found in African prints, bringing the past with us into the future.
THE OUTCOME
After launching the new brand and going through the exercise of defining the organisation’s vision for the future, CCAD mobilised and was able to influence the acquisition of the historic lot of the original NCC by the city of Montreal.
The lot was on its way to being turned into a condos by private developers. They now have new hope for the future of the community centre and are continuing their hard work to keep the legacy of the NCC alive.
