Jacqueline Wills, a 2000 graduate of Spelman College, was on a mission.
On the day that the new Spelman-branded Nike Terminators were released, Wills went looking for a pair before the gray and sky blue high-tops emblazed with “Undaunted by the Fight” sold out.
“Having graduated over 20 years ago, I think that having international brands partner with the schools to create something unique and something the alumni base would want brings a sense of pride,” said Wills, who landed a women’s size 7 from a local retailer.
She was not alone.
Earlier this month, two pairs of shoes designed by Morehouse College alumnus Brandon “Jinx” Jenkins and Spelman alumna Nani Edwards dropped throughout metro Atlanta.
As part of the larger “HBCU Pack” campaign, Nike released five Terminator colorways representing several historically Black colleges and universities. Along with Spelman and Morehouse, the package also included Tuskegee University, Alabama A&M and Tennessee State University.
These HBCU-inspired sneakers and clothing releases are part of the Yardrunner campaign originally introduced in 2020 by HBCU employees at Nike.
The Spelman and Morehouse sneakers feature the schools’ colors, names, logos and significant quotes from the campuses like “Undaunted by the Fight,” “Dear Old Morehouse,” and “Et Facta Est Lux.”
The anticipation of the releases took the campuses, graduates and social media by storm as they both sold out on the day of release on Nike’s website.
“My parents taught at Clark Atlanta when I growing up so, for me, Black colleges are a part of the African-American commonplace,” said novelist and 1991 Spelman Alumna Tayari Jones. “When I saw the shoe, I felt like, ‘well of course, why wouldn’t we have a shoe,’ you know?”
Credit: Ernie Suggs
Credit: Ernie Suggs
Thoughts on the design and silhouette of the shoe have varied among the students and alumni. As mainly alumni cleared them off the shelves, some students are uneasy about the aesthetic.
“I was really impressed with the level of detail and it felt like as much a souvenir and garment,” Jones said.
Kobe Scales, a senior communications and journalism double major at Morehouse, said he bought the sneaker as a collectible item on the day of the release.
“I’ll probably never wear the shoe other than for a photo opportunity,” Scales said. “I haven’t heard many good reviews about the shoe. The people that like them most are the alums.”
Credit: Nike
Credit: Nike
A common conversation among the students debated if the Terminator was the right shoe to embrace the colleges.
“I know some people who are sneakerheads who maybe prefer a different silhouette, but when I got them and tried them on I thought they were cute,” Wills said.
In 2022, Nike released four Dunk Lows as part of the Yardrunners campaign including one for Clark Atlanta University. The sneaker was an instant hit among the entire CAU community and is currently being sold for around $350 on resale platforms like Flight Club, StockX and GOAT.
“I got the [Morehouse] shoe because it’s a representation of something much bigger, a representation that Nike is aware of what we’re doing,” Scales said.
Edwards and Jenkins both held forums at Spelman and Morehouse on the day of the release to promote the sneakers and speak to students on their development and intention in the designs. Many students were able to see the sneaker in person for the first time at the events.
“It’s a dope shoe, I think people are kind of too critical and too opinionated on what it needs to look like. It doesn’t need to be a perfect shoe; it just needs to represent the school,” said Keion Grissom, a 2014 Morehouse graduate.
The Terminator release follows several HBCU collaborations with Nike and leading apparel brands.
As far back as 1997, North Carolina A&T State University was one of three colleges to initially wear the Jordan Brand.
In 2022, Howard University began a 20-year partnership with the Jordan Brand to elevate its athletics department. At this month’s Celebration Bowl, each member of Howard’s marching band marched out with gleaming white Jordans.
Ralph Lauren also released an entire clothing collection with Morehouse and Spelman in 2022. In June Nike released a Lebron 7 model for Florida A&M University.
“It seems every decade or so there is an HBCU fad that happens....and eventually that dies out but we’re fortunate enough to be living through another,” Scales said.
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