YMCA South Shore Red and Black

Red text and an illustration of a red triangle with a dark blue or black feather going through it on a white background

In 1844, the first Young Men's Christian Association or Y.M.C.A. was founded in London England. The Y.M.C.A. experienced quick growth from 1844 to 1855 and spread across the United States, Canada, and Europe. The first Y.M.C.A in the United States was founded in Boston in 1851. The Y.M.C.A. was founded on Christian principles but has since expanded to include a broader audience and promotes the strengthening of communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility rather than promoting Christianity or morality.

The red triangle has been an emblem of the Y.M.C.A. since 1891. The three sides represent the spirit, mind, and body. The triangle represents the Y.M.C.A.’s philosophy in that a triangle is not just three separate sides but the sum of three sides that together form a triangular figure. Thus in regards to a man, he is not just a body, a mind, and a spirit, but a result of all three.