Orange may not be a primary color, but the most common reason given as to why orange is UT's primary color is that in 1889, for the very first field day at the university, the president of the school's athletic association, Charles Moore, chose the colors of the daisy that was growing in abundance on campus.

UT Athletic Association President Charles Moore chose orange and white colors for UT's first field day on April 12, 1889. Students again wore orange and white to the Sewanee football game in 1891. Then they endorsed the colors at a special meeting in 1892.

Veritatem cognoscetis et veritas vos liberabit (Know the truth and the truth shall make you free) is the motto of the University of Tennessee. It is described as the motto in board of trustee minutes of 1891 when the seal of the university was approved, so it dates at least from 1891.

The university began using the Power T as its primary logo in 2015, in place of the former UT logo that included the shape of the state of Tennessee. The Athletics Department first used the Power T logo in 1964, when head football coach Doug Dickey had it put on Volunteers' helmets.

We embody excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, creative activity, outreach, and engagement. For more than 225 years, Volunteers have been lighting the way for others, across Tennessee and throughout the world.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is the state's flagship institution offering comprehensive programs of undergraduate, graduate, and professional education, research, and public service throughout Tennessee.

PMS 151 Tennessee Orange is a very specific hue, and the guidelines below are our recommendations to best reproduce it. Keep in mind that different printers, paper, materials, and digital screens may render these color recommendations differently than others. The official Tennessee Orange is PMS 151.

Tennessee's orange and white colors were selected by Charles Moore, a member of the first football team in 1891. They were later approved by a student body vote. The colors were chosen because of the common American daisy which grew on The Hill, an area of campus surrounding UT's most notable building, Ayres Hall.

Tennessee began wearing its familiar shade of orange in 1927 and its been the color of choice since on gamedays. White numerals, similar to how the Vols' uniforms look today, were added nine years later.

PMS 151 The official Tennessee Orange is PMS 151. That is the color you should specify with a university-contracted licensed vendor if you are producing merchandise like T-shirts, pens, lanyards, mugs, etc.

History

• 1794 Founded in Knoxville as Blount College.
• 1807 Became East Tennessee College; Closed in 1809; Reopened in 1820.
• 1826 East Tennessee College moved to the Hill.
• 1840 Renamed East Tennessee University.
• 1862-65 University activity suspended during Civil War.
• 1869 Designated one of Tennessee's land-grant universities.

While a number of students find pride in being a “progressive” University - asserting that “UTK is one of the most liberal schools in the South” - a few find things “very Southern, Christian, and conservative.” Still, the spirit of UTK is strong; Vols take seriously their commitment to improving their community - ...