Before arriving with the Colorado Buffaloes, Deion Sanders was the head coach at Jackson State University, a Historically Black University, and now, at Colorado, shirts are surfacing that many aren't fans of that include the Buffaloes "CU" logo associated with "HBCU."
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HBCU twitter has been feeling a way about this Colorado Buffalos shirt🫨 pic.twitter.com/f5LCBDlSKZ
— HBCU Gameday (@HBCUGameday) October 3, 2023
As seen in the clip above, a regular-looking white long-sleeve shirt with the Buffaloes logo is on it. However, there are some significant additions, including "HB" atop the "CU" with "State of Mind" beneath that.
Let's clarify, though: These shirts aren't sold by the school.
😂 she had a point
But notice it’s a “State of Mind”
Therefore, if you wear the TShirt, you are representing the Historical BCU mindset.
Hmmmmmmmmm
— 🎚️• Anwar Supreme • 🔊 (@UrbanHookUpz) October 4, 2023
"[S]he had a point But notice it's a "State of Mind" Therefore, if you wear the TShirt, you are representing the Historical BCU mindset. Hmmmmmmmmm" one user wrote in response to the clip above.
For HBCU advocates, the shirt is viewed as disrespectful. The school has an African-American enrollment of just 2.7% of the 2023 enrollment. Others argue that they're not co-opting the experience but adopting the "state of mind," as the shirt reads.
It is perfectly fine if you opted for a PWI over an HBCU. It starts to get weird when Black people are hell bent in turning their PWI mindset, experience, etc. into anything HBCU related — especially since you decided against attending. It’s not homage, it’s disrespect. https://t.co/avNQTieHj4
— Krystal Franklin (@krysfranklintv) October 3, 2023
"It is perfectly fine if you opted for a PWI over an HBCU. It starts to get weird when Black people are hell bent in turning their PWI mindset, experience, etc. into anything HBCU related — especially since you decided against attending. It's not homage, it's disrespect." one user wrote.
To be clear, a licensed manufacturer doesn't issue these shirts, but rather something created by random people and likely sold before Buffaloes games.
The team, Sanders, or any of the players haven't commented on the shirts, and again, they're not licensed by the school.
The Colorado Buffaloes take on the Stanford Cardinal at 10:00 p.m. ET on Friday, October 13, at home at Folsom Field. The Buffaloes look to improve to 5-2 this season. With a win, the Buffaloes, who won one game last season, will be officially bowl-eligible for the first time since 2016.