Rebel Black Bear
Encyclopedia
Rebel Black Bear is the official sporting mascot of the Ole Miss Rebels
, the collegiate athletic teams of the University of Mississippi
. The anthropomorphic
black bear
replaced Colonel Reb
as the official mascot in 2010.
soldier. A contest was held in which fans were invited to design a replacement. The athletic department chose two finalists, Rebel Bruiser and Rowdy Rebel, and invited fans to vote on their favorite. The limited fan response prompted the administration to cancel the poll. Many still supported Colonel Reb as the school mascot.
In 2010 Ole Miss students voted to choose a new mascot for the school. An internet campaign to replace Colonel Reb
with fictional 'Star Wars
' character Admiral Ackbar
gained popular, but not universal, support. However the students that began the campaign insist that Admiral Ackbar is not their ideal choice for the school's mascot. Instead they intended the character as "the face of a push to start a fresh mascot search at Ole Miss." Additionally, Lucasfilm
, which owns the Admiral Ackbar character, declined to give Ole Miss the rights to use his image for their mascot. The student-led committee that led the process of choosing a new mascot was formed Monday, 29 March 2010. The committee did not set a definitive time frame regarding the revealing of the new on-field mascot, but the time frame was tentatively set for the 2010 football season. A website was established by the committee to help ensure transparency throughout the entire process.
The field of suggestions was reduced to 11 candidates: Hotty and Toddy, a black bear, a blues musician, a cardinal, a fanatic, a horse, a land shark, a lion, the Mojo, a riverboat pilot, and a titan. The committee held a poll of Ole Miss students, faculty, staff, alumni, and season ticket holders of the three finalist candidates: the Rebel Black Bear, based on the legend that Theodore "Teddy Bear" Roosevelt
refused to shoot
a bound black bear in Mississippi; the Rebel Land Shark; and Hotty Toddy, from a popular cheer. Based on its support throughout the process, including the final poll, the committee selected the Rebel Black Bear as the new on-field mascot.
The University reclassified the Colonel Reb trademark as historical and still retains ownership of the trademark.
and the Louisiana black bear. The American black bear (Ursus americanus) occurs in the more northern counties of the state, which is the location of the university. The Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus) is found in the southern half of the state. The two subspecies of bears are basically indistinguishable to the naked eye. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks estimates that the bear population in Mississippi has doubled in the past 10 years.
Ole Miss Rebels
University of Mississippi sports teams, originally known as the "Mississippi Flood" , were re-named the Rebels in 1936 and compete in the twelve-member Southeastern Conference of the NCAA's Division I. The school's colors are cardinal red and navy blue , purposely chosen to mirror the school...
, the collegiate athletic teams of the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
. The anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
replaced Colonel Reb
Colonel Reb
Colonel Reb is the former sporting mascot of Ole Miss Rebels, the collegiate athletic teams of the University of Mississippi . Designed in the 1930s, the figure served as the teams' official or near-official mascot from 1979 until 2003...
as the official mascot in 2010.
Mascot search
In 2003, Colonel Reb was removed from the sidelines at Ole Miss athletic events as the on-the-field mascot due to its racial connotations as a ConfederateConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
soldier. A contest was held in which fans were invited to design a replacement. The athletic department chose two finalists, Rebel Bruiser and Rowdy Rebel, and invited fans to vote on their favorite. The limited fan response prompted the administration to cancel the poll. Many still supported Colonel Reb as the school mascot.
In 2010 Ole Miss students voted to choose a new mascot for the school. An internet campaign to replace Colonel Reb
Colonel Reb
Colonel Reb is the former sporting mascot of Ole Miss Rebels, the collegiate athletic teams of the University of Mississippi . Designed in the 1930s, the figure served as the teams' official or near-official mascot from 1979 until 2003...
with fictional 'Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
' character Admiral Ackbar
Admiral Ackbar
Admiral Ackbar is a fictional character in the Star Wars science fiction saga. A member of the amphibious Mon Calamari species, Ackbar was the foremost military commander of the Rebel Alliance who led major combat operations against the Galactic Empire and was later integral in the formation of the...
gained popular, but not universal, support. However the students that began the campaign insist that Admiral Ackbar is not their ideal choice for the school's mascot. Instead they intended the character as "the face of a push to start a fresh mascot search at Ole Miss." Additionally, Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm Limited is an American film production company founded by George Lucas in 1971, based in San Francisco, California. Lucas is the company's current chairman and CEO, and Micheline Chau is the president and COO....
, which owns the Admiral Ackbar character, declined to give Ole Miss the rights to use his image for their mascot. The student-led committee that led the process of choosing a new mascot was formed Monday, 29 March 2010. The committee did not set a definitive time frame regarding the revealing of the new on-field mascot, but the time frame was tentatively set for the 2010 football season. A website was established by the committee to help ensure transparency throughout the entire process.
The field of suggestions was reduced to 11 candidates: Hotty and Toddy, a black bear, a blues musician, a cardinal, a fanatic, a horse, a land shark, a lion, the Mojo, a riverboat pilot, and a titan. The committee held a poll of Ole Miss students, faculty, staff, alumni, and season ticket holders of the three finalist candidates: the Rebel Black Bear, based on the legend that Theodore "Teddy Bear" Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
refused to shoot
Teddy bear
The teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually stuffed with soft, white cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal in many countries, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. In recent times, some teddy bears have become collector's items...
a bound black bear in Mississippi; the Rebel Land Shark; and Hotty Toddy, from a popular cheer. Based on its support throughout the process, including the final poll, the committee selected the Rebel Black Bear as the new on-field mascot.
The University reclassified the Colonel Reb trademark as historical and still retains ownership of the trademark.
Bears in Mississippi
The state is home for two types of bear bear subspecies: the American black bearAmerican black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
and the Louisiana black bear. The American black bear (Ursus americanus) occurs in the more northern counties of the state, which is the location of the university. The Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus) is found in the southern half of the state. The two subspecies of bears are basically indistinguishable to the naked eye. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks estimates that the bear population in Mississippi has doubled in the past 10 years.