The UNC Pembroke Braves are the athletic teams representing the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP), a public university in Pembroke, North Carolina, competing in NCAA Division II. The university’s athletic nickname is the Braves, while its mascot is the red-tailed hawk. The athletic logo incorporates both hawk and Brave imagery. [1]
Design and History
The university has used the “Braves” nickname since the 1940s, when UNCP was an all-Indian school. [2] The original athletic logo depicted an Indian with a tomahawk, but this was changed in 1991. [3] Former Chancellor Joseph Oxendine banned the use of the American Indian mascot that year and replaced it with a red-tailed hawk. [4] The school kept the “Braves” name for its teams but created a non-human mascot, the red-tailed hawk. [5]The current athletic logo depicts an Indian with a hawk on his shoulder. [4] The school adopted the red-tailed hawk as its mascot in 1992. [6] In 2002, UNCP was among 31 schools identified by an NCAA committee as having mascots or logos that could be considered controversial. [2] The university subsequently conducted surveys and reviews of its use of the Brave nickname and logo, with the Lumbee Tribal Council voting unanimously in support of the Braves logo and nickname in February 2009. [2]Meaning and Symbolism
The athletic logo combines the Brave nickname with the red-tailed hawk mascot. [2] The mascot is used on athletic uniforms and other campus symbols to invoke the qualities of the red-tailed hawk: speed, keen sight, hunting ability and good luck. [1]Typography and Design
UNC Pembroke’s official colors are black and gold, which have been the school’s colors since at least 1944, though gold has been associated with the school since the 1920s. [7] The university’s style guide designates Poppins as the primary typeface for UNCP. [8] University marks are governed by the University Style Guide and Athletics Style Guide, which are the only approved marks for representing the university. [9]Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
