OXFORD, Miss. – The new mascot of the University of Mississippi Rebels will be a black bear, officially replacing the goateed Southern gentleman “Colonel Reb” who was banished from the sidelines almost seven years ago.
Thursday’s unveiling of the “Rebel Black Bear” is the latest move in the school’s effort to distance itself from symbols of the old South.
The announcement came after a campuswide vote in February and months of polling. The bear beat out two other finalists, the Rebel Land Shark and something called the “Hotty Toddy,” an attempt to personify the school cheer. The bear received 62 percent of the vote in the final poll.
“I know there was a lot of people emotionally invested in Colonel Reb and everybody might not completely agree with the bear, but I think everyone can be proud of how our students went about the process,” said Sparky Reardon, the university’s dean of students.
Margaret Ann Porter, a co-chairman of the student mascot selection committee, said the bear was recommended because it had a Mississippi connection, would appeal to children and would be unique to the Southeastern Conference.