The Jayhawk: The Story of the University of Kansas's Beloved Mascot

by Rebecca Ozier Schulte

The Jayhawk, the University of Kansas’s legendary and unique mascot, has represented the university for more than one hundred years and is recognizable around the world. In The Jayhawk , Rebecca Ozier Schulte tells the story of the beloved mythical bird’s origins and historical significance, role as mascot, relationship with student life and representation in campus publications, popularity in advertising and as merchandise, and much more. Multiple students and artists drew the Jayhawk in the twentieth century, including the long-legged Jayhawk drawn by Daniel Henry “Hank” Maloy in 1912 and the militaristic, fighting Jayhawk of 1941 created by Dr. Eugene “Yogi” Williams. Six different Jayhawks from 1912 to 1946 have been identified by the university as the most historically significant, but there are many, many more that have been discovered in hundreds of pieces of ephemera, newspaper accounts, student scrapbooks, and university publications, all housed in the University Archives. No other source brings the Jayhawk’s fascinating history together. This stunning book is highlighted by more than 300 photographs, most of them in color and many of items rarely seen by the public. The Jayhawk is sure to delight fans, alumni, and anyone who’s ever chanted “Rock Chalk, Jayhawk, KU!”

173 pages, Hardcover

First published October 20, 2023

About the author

Rebecca Ozier Schulte (BA ’76, KU) is the former University of Kansas Archivist and a career Jayhawk. She has served in various positions within KU Libraries: from student assistant to curator of the Wilcox Collection of Contemporary Political Movements to eighteen years as University Archivist.

Reviews

[Kathy KS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I'm not a graduate of KU, the Jayhawk represents something to Kansans as a whole. Schulte gives readers an introduction to the term "jayhawker", in general, and then the use of that term and the eventual graphic versions of the KU Jayhawk over the last hundred years plus. There have been many versions of the Jayhawk and new versions are coming out still. Trivia about the students that wore the mascot costumes describes the sheer weight of the costumes or the romances that actually flourished with some of the wearers of the Big Jay and Baby jay outfits. The uses of the graphics in publications of all sorts and in advertising is well-covered.

So, this is a wealth of information about one specific topic that may or may not be of interest to someone. I will say that I've run into people wearing shirts with KU Jayhawks depicted all over the country and many have no connection to the University; they just like the Jayhawk! I've even seen ball caps sold in downtown London, England, with the Jayhawk. Many people also collect Jayhawk memorabilia and this is discussed.

My main concern was that the font size was small, as far as I was concerned; if you tried to read the printing on many of the illustrated documents, it was even harder to read.

Worth a read for anyone that enjoys microhistories in general, the development of visual representations of "mythological" creatures, business use, trademarks, etc.

A Kansas Notable book.

[MKF · Rating 3 out of 5]

Halfway through I realized this is not a book to read cover to cover but one to skim or reading a chapter here and there. When I did start reading it failed to capture my attention and I constantly started doing something else and had to force myself to read. It's a really interesting book but there is just too much stuff crammed inside and the font for the text is small. With all the photos and art that the author included this should have been an art book without the really long chapters and less text to read.
I actually didn't finish but it had to be returned to the library so I'm taking a break.

[Isaiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weirdly fascinating.

[Dixie]

Skimmed it and looked at the photos.

[PottWab Regional Library]

SM