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Strategy

’47 Brand Debuts Line Celebrating Historically Black Colleges and Universities

The capsule collection of branded merchandise aims, in part, to help champion the power of education to propel success and progress.

Coinciding with Black History Month, sportswear brand ’47 has launched a new collection of branded merchandise that celebrates “HBCUs” – a respectful term that refers to “Historically Black Colleges & Universities.”

The line of logoed wearables includes T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, curved-bill unstructured “dad hats” with strapbacks, and flat-bill structured caps with snapbacks.

Universities represented in the collection include Morehouse College, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, Hampton University, Howard University, Lincoln University, Tuskegee University, NC A&T, Grambling State University, Morgan State University, Bethune-Cookman University, and Florida A&M.

“Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) create an environment that offers students the energy, support, community and most importantly the opportunity for a successful future via the power of education,” ’47 says on its website. “This February, '47 is proud to launch a capsule that celebrates HBCUs and the progress of higher education.”

What an awesome initiative. From our perspective, it demonstrates the important symbolic role that well-crafted, consciously considered branded merchandise/promotional products can play in supporting worthy causes, while commemorating vital history and institutions. Check out some pieces from the capsule below:

Snapback flat-bill caps from ‘47’s HBCU capsule collection. Available here.

Curved bill strapback hats from ‘47’s HBCU capsule collection. Available here.

Florida A&M T-shirt from ‘47’s HBCU capsule collection. Available here.

Lincoln University hooded sweatshirt from ‘47’s HBCU capsule collection. Available here.