Why are Purdue’s colors black and gold?
In the fall of 1887, it was decided that the football team would achieve more distinction if it sported official school colors. At the time, Princeton was the most successful football team in the country, so J.B. Burris, captain of the first Purdue team, proposed that Purdue adopt Princeton’s colors to quickly gain distinction. Princeton’s orange and black colors were mistaken by some as yellow and black. Purdue team members decided to change the yellow to a more distinguished old gold to go with the black.
