Nebraska makes change to mascot Herbie Husker due to white supremacy

Nebraska fans will notice a change to Herbie Husker branding. Just look at his hand.

The Cornhuskers mascot for nearly 50 years was previously seen holding up an “OK” sign with his left hand. But Nebraska Athletics made a change. Now, he’s holding up one finger.

The change is a result of white supremacy groups using the OK sign as one of their symbols. The three fingers create a W and the wrist forms a P.

In July 2020, Nebraska licensing and branding director Lonna Henrichs became aware of the grousp’ usage of the OK sign, according to News Channel Nebraska. She asked an in-house designer to Photoshop Herbie Husker’s hand to hold up the number one and it’s now going to be part of Cornhuskers merchandise. The change hasn’t officially appeared in Nebraska’s brand book yet, but it sounds like that’ll change.

“That hand gesture could, in some circles, represent something that does not represent what Nebraska athletics is about,” Henrichs said, via News Channel Nebraska. “We just didn’t even want to be associated with portraying anything that somebody might think, you know, that it means white power.

“We made that change as quick as we could.”

Nebraska executive associate athletic director Lawrence Chatters — the department’s head of diversity, equity and inclusion — came aboard after the change was initially made. That said, he supports the decision.

“When there is hatred and hurt attached to a symbol, or a word, or a gesture, we have to pay attention to it,” Chatters said, via News Channel Nebraska. “We don’t have the choice to just say, ‘well, that’s not what you think it is.’

“Truthfully, those (hate) groups do exist. Truthfully, those are movements that have caused issues in our country. We’re not talking about a false reality here.”

More on Herbie Husker

Herbie Husker has been Nebraska’s mascot since 1974. Created by artist Dick West, he first appeared on a media guide and became the official mascot shortly thereafter.

He made his first game appearance at the 1974 Cotton Bowl as Nebraska took on Texas — a 19-3 Cornhuskers victory. More than 30 years later, Herbie Husker earned mascot of the year honors in 2005.

As a cartoon, Herbie Husker dons blue overalls with an ear of corn in his pocket, a red cowboy hat and holds a football in his right hand. Now, his left hand will hold up the No. 1 sign instead of the OK sign.