History of the Eastern Michigan Logo

The Eastern Michigan logo is kind of a sort spot for me.  When I started at Eastern Michigan, we were known as the Hurons and at the behest of the Michigan Civil Rights Committee, the Eastern Michigan President decided to change the logo.  The really funny part is that when the various tribes are asked, they don't mind using their tribe names as logos.  Just look at the Florida State Seminoles and the Central Michigan Chippewas.  Even the Hurons didn't have a problem with this but some aging white people know better than the Native Americans.  In my opinion that is more offensive because it is so patronizing.  But enough of that.

Part of the Convocation Center has the Eastern Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.  They have pictures and names of athletes that they feel have brought honor to the University.  In front of that is a set of logos from the various eras of Eastern Michigan.

 Eastern Michigan fielded its first football team in 1891.  At the time, it was known as the Michigan State Normal College (no affiliation with that school in East Lansing).  It did not have an official name but was known as the Normalites or Men from Ypsi.  In 1899, they became known officially as the Normalties.

 In 1929, the school held a contest to come up with a new logo for the team.  The Huron was picked over the runner up "Pioneers".  The Huron River flows pretty close to campus and Lake Huron is not too far away.  The Huron tribe (Wyandots) wandered around this area.  There is a historical tie to the area.  Quite honestly, I thought it was a pretty cool name.

In 1991, the Eastern Michigan President decided that the Huron logo needed to go.  It was replaced with the Eagles.  It's not a bad name, I guess...but it's so generic.  As I've been covering Eastern sports, I've grown more accustomed to it but I still prefer the Huron.  But as they say, we can never look back and must look forward.