Morehouse College and Spelman College have taken a major step to protect their shared cultural identity, announcing this week that the institutions have officially trademarked the term “Spelhouse.” The move ensures that the name—synonymous with Black excellence, tradition, and unity—belongs to the community that created it. This information comes from a press release shared with AFROTECH.
“…The ‘SpelHouse’ community represents more than neighborhood geography; it stands for shared community, history, traditions, and a legacy between two of the nation’s top-ranking and most renowned historically Black colleges and universities,” the press release reads. “By trademarking the term, the colleges are claiming ownership of their names, images, and likeness, while protecting both brands from dilution and misuse by external entities.”
In celebration of this monumental achievement, Spelman and Morehouse will partner with Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) and ProStandard for a limited-edition capsule collection.
To get the campus community involved, a design competition will be held to create a new artwork design for the “Spelhouse” logo. When designing the logo, the institutions want participants to “consider the history of SpelHouse while helping to define its future visual identity.” Students, alumni, and employees are encouraged to submit.
AFROTECH previously reported that Spelman, Morehouse,and other Atlanta HBCUs will be the recipients of a $50 million donation commitment from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. This multi-million-dollar commitment will go toward bridging the gap for scholarships at these institutions. Both presidents from Spelman and Morehouse commented on how this significant investment will help both institutions.
“This investment affirms that every Spelman scholar deserves access to a world-class education. It expands our ability to bridge financial gaps and support students through to graduation,” Spelman College Interim President Rosalind “Roz” Brewer said in the news release.
“This monumental investment will empower our students to remain focused on their academic studies and ensure that their talent, ambition, hard work, and integrity, not financial hardship, will determine their futures,” said Morehouse College President Dr. F. Dubois Bowman.
In addition to their collaboration with Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) and ProStandard, Spelman and Morehouse collaborated with Ralph Lauren for their limited-edition Oak Bluffs and HBCU Legacy collection.
