Florida A& M Rattlers Logo PNG
The formidable rattlesnake is the mascot of Florin University’s sports association. A symbol of cunning, lightning-fast reaction, and victorious tactics, it is a primary element of the Florida A&M Rattlers’ logo.
Florida A&M Rattlers: Brand Overview
Florida A&M University was founded in 1887 in Tallahassee as an institution for African American students during the era of segregation. Athletics became central to campus life early on, with football starting in 1896 and shaping the program’s identity.
The defining era came under coach Jake Gaither from 1945 to 1969. He won 22 conference titles and finished with a 203–36–4 record. His teams produced 36 All-Americans and sent 42 players to the NFL. Between 1938 and 1961, FAMU claimed multiple national titles among historically Black colleges, including six during Gaither’s tenure.
In 1978, the program reached a milestone by winning the NCAA Division I-AA national championship against the University of Massachusetts. Quarterback Albert Chester later added another title, reinforcing the program’s standing. A 1979 win over the University of Miami drew national attention.
FAMU athletes moved into professional leagues. Andre Dawson reached the Baseball Hall of Fame, while players such as Marquis Grissom, Vince Coleman, and Henry Lawrence built careers in the MLB and the NFL. Clemon Johnson won an NBA title.
In 2021, the program left the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for the Southwestern Athletic Conference after decades of competition and multiple football titles. Tennis added conference and HBCU championships during the 2000s and 2010s.
The annual Florida Classic against Bethune-Cookman became a major event, drawing large crowds in Orlando and reinforcing regional rivalries within college football.
Meaning and History
The central image in the Florida A&M Rattlers logo is a rattlesnake, chosen as the team’s mascot. The 2000-2012 brand is depicted in full length. The body bends into rings, the head is raised, and the mouth is open. Artists have detailed the skin texture, emphasizing the fork-shaped tongue and two sharp fangs. At the top, in the form of a semicircle, is the acronym “FAMU,” formed from the university’s name. The palette includes yellow and green colors.
In 2013, the sports teams adopted a new logo. It’s a mini-fragment of the previous version: the head of a rattlesnake with an open mouth. As before, it shows teeth and sticks out a thin tongue. The skin looks realistic: the logo creators detailed the black patterns and scales.
What is Florida A&M Rattlers?
Florida A&M Rattlers represent Florida A&M University in intercollegiate program competitions. The university’s sports department comprises 13 student teams and is a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, competing in NCAA Division I FCS. The most famous teams are the football and basketball teams (both men’s and women’s).
2000 – 2012
The Florida A&M Rattlers logo depicts a dangerous snake, reflecting the sports team’s name. Judging by the tense posture and raised head, it is about to attack the opponent. This symbolizes that the athletes are always vigilant: they will not let anyone corner them. The animal looks threatening: its open mouth reveals large, venomous teeth and a forked tongue.
Artists accurately reproduced the reptile’s body pattern, depicting a diamond pattern and detailing even the smallest scales. The vertical pupils of the eyes and the characteristic thickening at the end of the tail also indicate that it is a rattlesnake. However, the colors do not correspond to reality, as the emblem uses yellow and green shades.
At the top is the acronym “FAMU,” the abbreviation for Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, which owns the teams. The word forms an arch over the reptile’s head, so the letters are unevenly curved and tilted in different directions. The massive font with rectangular serifs conveys a sense of rigor and confidence. The inscription’s emerald color echoes the snake’s coloring.
2013 – today
This logo served as a secondary logo from 2006 to 2012, and in 2013, it became the primary visual symbol of the Florida A&M Rattlers. Unlike the previous version, it contains only the snake’s head. This better showcases its large protruding teeth and long fork-shaped tongue. Artists changed the reptile’s coloring, making bright orange the primary color, with visible black shadows and contours. The inside of the mouth is green, except for the fangs and tongue. Although the eye should be white, the emblem creators depicted it as completely black, leaving only a light stripe for the pupil. This gave the snake’s image a frightening mysticism.
FAMU logo
The Florida A&M Rattlers team has a wordmark that is sometimes combined with the snake’s head. It contains a two-level inscription, “FAMU RATTLERS,” centered. Each word is colored differently: the top is green, and the bottom is orange. Bold letters with large rectangular serifs convey strength, confidence, and determination. This symbolizes that the university’s students are ready to compete and win.
Throughout the women’s basketball team’s history, it has made two appearances in the NCAA Division I Tournament. The men’s team has been more active: it has participated in the first round of the NCAA Division I tournament three times and reached the regional final of the NCAA Division II tournament three times.
The football team played its debut season in 1907. The team has won the national championship among black colleges multiple times, as well as the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship. Willie Simmons coaches the team.
Font and Colors
FAMU’s sports teams use the National Champion font. It’s a geometric serif with large rectangular serifs. Despite their bulkiness, the letters look balanced, even in the bold version.
The logo is colored in the official colors of the educational institution:
- Orange (#F4811F);
- Green (#008344).
Designers used saturated black to create shadows and clear borders between elements. White is also present but in minimal amounts: it highlights the rattlesnake’s pupil and teeth.
