Coaches say they were asked to remove Honor G logo from gear and uniforms as College reassess branding

Grinnell coaches say they’ve been asked to refrain from printing Grinnell College’s “Honor G” logo on any new gear until further notice, according to head men’s soccer coach Brian Jaworski and head women’s soccer coach Kirsten Koester. The logo has drawn comparisons to the German Iron Cross, a symbol used by Nazi Germany and, more recently, white nationalists.

Director of Recreation and Athletics Holly Roepke said she had no knowledge of any confirmed changes to or removal of the logo. “We are currently in a review process to use an outside firm to help us with all marketing, and [the Honor G] would be part of our review,” Roepke said. 

“We [The College] will be evaluating the mascot, the Honor G, the use of nicknames, how the laurel leaf logos are used, and other parts of our marketing communications program as part of a holistic effort to review all aspects of Grinnell’s brand,” said Ellen de Graffenreid, Vice President of Communications and Marketing.

The Honor G was created in 1892, when it bore the letters I and C, due to Grinnell College being known as Iowa College at the time. Other than replacing the I and C with a G in 1894 and an unpopular change of font in the 1930s that was later reversed, the logo has not changed since.

“All athletic teams were told that they could not print the Honor G on any athletic gear by athletic administration until further notice,” Jaworski said.

“I think it’s complicated. I would say I’m supportive [of] what’s best for the institution,” said Roepke. “And so I think that there’s a lot of work involved. I don’t want to diminish the harm that this imagery causes, but it’s complicated.” Roepke, who is in the first year of her role, said that there was already a conversation about changing the logo when she joined.

She added that complications with removing the logo stem from balancing its potential harm with “the foundation of all of those who have felt some sort of identity with this [Honor G] emblem.” Roepke acknowledged that while the logo originally had no association with Nazism, its meaning has changed over time.

Katya Gibel Mevorach, professor of anthropology, said that the Honor G greatly resembles the Iron Cross, especially due to the similarities between Grinnell’s colors and those of Nazi Germany. Katya, as she prefers to be referred to, said she identifies as Black and Jewish. 

She said she first brought up the issue of similarities between the Honor G and the Iron Cross in 2014 and again in 2021. She said that she has received “typical administrative answer” in 2021, adding that she was told many times in the last decade that the College is “looking into it.”

“My objection to the ‘Honor G’ is anchored here: it is an icon whose ‘honor’ was invalidated once adopted by the Nazis and it is time to confront and unpack this inconvenient truth rather than hide behind the mantle of a ‘tradition’ that neither Jews nor Blacks shared in making,” Katya wrote in a 2014 document detailing issues with the logo. 

Katya acknowledged the aspect of tradition, but said she did not see it as justification. “It used to be a tradition to not use pronouns. We use pronouns now. It used to be a tradition to not allow women to vote. It was a tradition not to go to not to let American Black kids go to schools in the South that were white or that were private,” Katya said.

Katya said that since she first brought the issue up in 2014, there has been no progress in its removal. In 2021, Katya said she pushed for change again but said she received only vague responses and no action was taken.

“There’s nothing, there’s absolute silence,” Katya said, referring to the response from the College in the last 10 years. “It’s as if nobody ever talks about it. When I brought it up, the response [was] ‘we’re looking into it.’ Well, it’s a decade of looking into something.” 

Editor’s Note: The headline and lede of this story have been changed for clarity. A statement from de Graffenreid was added for further context and accuracy.