NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — When the Nashville Predators debut a new jersey Wednesday night, it will be a special design by a Tennessee State University professor in honor of Black History Month (BHM).
TSU Associate professor and art and design department chair Kaleena Sales created the design to offer a duality that “bridges historical and contemporary Black culture.”
“I’m excited and honored to have the opportunity to represent TSU and Nashville as a Black designer,” Sales said in a release. “To be celebrated professionally in such a public way means something to me. It speaks to the growth that we’ve had, and it honors what Black History Month celebration should really be about.”
-
Designs that will be on the Predators jerseys and T-shirts for Wednesday’s upcoming Black History Celebration game at Bridgestone Arena. -
Kaleena Sales -
Nashville Predator hockey players wearing a Black History Celebration themed jersey designed by Eric Jackson in 2023. -
Designs that will be on the Predators jerseys and T-shirts for Wednesday’s upcoming Black History Celebration game at Bridgestone Arena. -
Eric Jackson at last year’s 2023 Black History Celebration game wearing the jersey that he designed for the Pred’s.
For the second year in a row, the Predators have chosen a TSU professor to design cultural jerseys and T-shirts for hockey players and fans to honor BHM. The jerseys and T-shirts will be worn by players as they arrive at Bridgestone Arena. These items will be signed and auctioned off through the Nashville Predators’ Foundation.
Sales designed the black and gold jerseys and T-shirts to feature West African patterns symbolizing purity, wisdom, love and harmony. The design will also be on lanyards given to the first 5,000 fans in attendance.
“The symbols were designed by the Akan people from Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana during the early 1800s and have a rich and beautiful history,” explained Sales in a release. “The geometric pattern used alongside the Adinkra symbols is meant to represent the vibrancy of contemporary Black culture.”
The Predator’s annual Black History celebration night will recognize all four of Nashville’s HBCUs, and feature a battle of the bands with three local high schools. The National Anthem and in-game performances will be by African-American musical artists.
The Preds face off against the Los Angeles Kings Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. To learn more about the Predators Black History celebration and to purchase Professor’s Sales custom design T-shirt, click here.