Penn State's Original School Colors
Penn State University is one of the most well-known colleges in the United States. Much of Penn State's fame comes from the school's success as a national powerhouse in college football under Joe Paterno. While fans who know Penn State through its athletics associate the school as navy blue and white, they are not the school's first official colors.
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Committee
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A committee was formed by Penn State to decide upon the school's official colors in October 1887. To ensure that the student body was properly represented, the committee consisted of a representative of each of the upper classes, with a senior, junior and sophomore representative.
Black and Pink
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After meeting and discussing the potential school colors, the committee came to a unanimous decision. All three members agreed that the best choice for the school was the combination of black and dark pink. As the school colors, they would be used to represent the school in official matters as well as athletic endeavors.
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Colors in Use
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Athletes at Penn State began using the black-and-pink combination shortly after the committee declared them the new colors of Penn State. In addition to the school baseball team sporting black and pink on its uniforms, students around campus began to wear blazers and clothing in black and pink as a sign of school spirit.
Fading
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While the jerseys worn began as black and pink, the time out in the sun and the wear and tear of the games began to affect the colors. After several weeks in the new uniforms, the pinks had faded until they were closer to a white color. With the new white look, the students elected to change the black to navy, creating the navy blue and white look that is famous today.
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