In today’s episode of Ok, Here’s What We Not Gon’ Do, it appears that fans and merch creators of the University of Colorado have lost every last bit of their minds since NFL legend Deion Sanders left Jackson State University (JSU) to become UC’s head football coach. As we all know, the move has caused a lot of controversy. Some have argued that Sanders abandoned Black people by taking a much higher-paying job at a Power Five PWI (predominantly WHITE institution—the all caps on “white” will be explained in a second.) Some have accused him of using JSU as a career stepping stone. Others have largely defended Sanders. There have also been nuanced takes. Regardless of how one feels, there is one fact that should not be up for debate:

The University of Colorado is not an HBCU (Historically BLACK College/University).

That’s a weird thing to even have to declare, right?

It shouldn’t have to be said that a college with a student body that is more than 65% white and less than 10% Black is, by definition, a PWI.

And yet…

Somebody said Y’all done turned the University of Colorado into a HBCU #Primetime pic.twitter.com/6KTlXx8hPP

— JuicyGenius (@MsJuicyGenius) September 18, 2023

My white homie graduated from the University of Colorado now he think he a HBCU alum

— JXB (@JXB314) September 19, 2023

Someone posted on my Facebook that the University of Colorado might as well be an HBCU now. I took that as extreme disrespect understanding our wealth position in this country and the lack of funding that hbcus get. And y’all want to extract Talent from HBCUs to send it to Pwis

— I Am Not Your Negro () (@Amazon_Queenn) September 18, 2023

University of Colorado. The newest HBCU. It’s nuts.

— Neutrogena boyz (@olibasquiat) September 9, 2023

But whatever, these are just random people saying random things that are probably not meant to be taken seriously. But now, we have folks on these internet streets selling shirts for UC fans that read “HBCU state of mind.”

They should’ve never gave you niggas screen printers pic.twitter.com/GHn9sbqLKE

— Chamelio Salamander (@KKoreyP) October 3, 2023

Now, this doesn’t appear to be a licensed manufacturer, but shirts with a design that shows an “HB” added to the “CU” printed over the Buffaloes logo can be purchased from sellers online. In fact, one can Google “HBCU state of mind” and even find white people modeling the shirt, which is likely just stock internet shenanigans, but it’s still indicative of a larger issue: This is some real “Everybody’s invited to the cookout” nonsense right here.

I mean, the Proud Boys were also led by a Black person, but no one is going to attribute that to a “Black Panther Party state of mind,” and they certainly won’t create purchasable merchandise to that effect. (Yeah, I know Enrique Tarrio was, at one point, selling Black Lives Matter t-shirts, but that was because the Proud Boys were suffering from a broke boy state of mind.)

Anyway, this is dumb, and probably not worth paying any attention to, but in a country that practices cultural appropriation just as casually and persistently as it practices systemic racism and pathological anti-Blackness, it’s difficult to let this slide. And that’s why Black people on social media are sounding off, while some of our more tragic skin folks who may or may not be kinfolk are defending it.

University of Colorado has almost as many international students just from India as it does Black students of any nationality and these are Deion’s coordinators at his “HBCU”: https://t.co/t79DS6uQUz pic.twitter.com/h2KYxxUqXe

— Racial Dolezal (@SirCoach) October 3, 2023

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

it literally says “hbcu state of mind” not that colorado is an hbcu
hella players on that team as well as the coaching staff came from hbcu…yall gotta stop looking for reasons to be mad at every goddamn thing smh https://t.co/y1uXrlzcKq

— HimLaden (@BossP) October 4, 2023

“HBCU” is not a state of mind Stop tryna justify that man’s bullshit

— Jesus Shuttlesworth II (@_Slim_Reaper) October 4, 2023

If you fell in love w HBCUs a bit later in life, cool. If you have no interest in attending grad school, promote our institutions to the littles in your life. But please know — a Black experience or state of mind at a PWI will never be a HBCU anything. And that’s perfectly okay.

— Krystal Franklin (@krysfranklintv) October 3, 2023

Impossible to be a PWI with an HBCU “state of mind” when HISTORICALLY not accepting Black students.. Prime is just a Black coach sprinkling culture to the campus.. that’s not a state of mind.. idk what it is y’all THINK HBCUs are but it’s more than athletics Greeks and Parties.. https://t.co/x4VxyKnJEZ

— Dissertatin N Shit (@jadorejontele) October 4, 2023

I believe they are speaking specifically about the football team and how they have transformed the “State of mind” of the team to the positive, hard-working ethics of HBCU’S! it can actually be viewed as a compliment. Just my opinion!

— Miracle Child (@miraclechildent) October 3, 2023

Forget that..if u not HBCU, never experienced HBCU culture, never supported HBCU’s then hoe the hell u gonna know what an HBCU state of mind.

— Shoulda Stayed in Bed (@southernboiNOLA) October 4, 2023

Shut up, Darrell shouldn’t say HBCU shit cause it ain’t! Should be zero affiliation. NADAAAAA.

— Jess (@j_onthemarq) October 4, 2023

My thing is an HBCU isn’t a state of mind. It’s an institution for black people by black people….you cannot “make” HBCU culture. You must attend and be present

— Ur Favorite Libra (@DesJhanelle) October 4, 2023

Listen: If you want to dismiss this as harmless trolling or gaslighting that people are better off ignoring, that’s fine, and you’re probably right. But don’t try to defend this because it’s only pointing to a “state of mind” and not actually calling UC an HBCU. If Black people are co-signing this white or white-influenced nonsense at all, they’re suffering from a sunken place state of mind.

But that’s another post for another day.

SEE ALSO:

UNC Homecoming Shirts Accused Of Culturally Appropriating HBCU Culture

Viral Video Of USC ‘Majorette Team’ Renews Debate About HBCU Culture At PWIs

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