How Was Harvard’S Mascot Chosen?

The Harvard mascot, Handsome Dan, was chosen due to his ability to tolerate bands and children, negative reaction to the color crimson, and to tigers (the symbols of rival schools Harvard and Princeton). The mascot is named after a Puritan priest who came to the United States in 1637, gave an endowment to the university the next year, and passed away. In an 1875 referendum, Harvard undergraduates selected the school’s color, and since then, crimson has become the most visible symbol of Harvard.

The Veritas shield is a central element of Harvard University’s graphic identity dating back to 1643. The baseball team went magenta in 1863, the football team soon followed suit, and a school newspaper dubbed itself The Harvard Magenta in 1873. The Harvard logo is a shield containing the Latin slogan “VERITAS” (“truth” or “verity”) on three books. Harvard adopted the Latin “Veritas”.

As of 2014, the mascot for Harvard University is the pilgrim John Harvard, who was the first benefactor of the university. In the early days of college mascots, student organizations often unofficially chose a creature or character to represent their group spirit. At Harvard, that particular honor went to the pilgrim John Harvard.

In an 1875 referendum, Harvard undergraduates selected the school’s color, and since then, crimson has become the most visible symbol of the university. The turkey mascot truly sums up what Harvard students strive to be, as turkeys are social, intelligent, curious, inquisitive, and loyal.