The History Behind the Wolf
In 1955 when UNLV was known as the University of Nevada (Southern Regional Division), Beauregard the Wolf became its first mascot. The cartoonish wolf dressed in a Confederate hat and Civil War era military jacket was thought at the time to symbolize the rebellious spirit of the school and the already existing North-South rivalry with its parent institution, the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). Other Confederate imagery also existed on campus during this time, further emphasizing the rivalry. This unfortunate, negative symbolism was eventually dropped by UNLV students, employees, and alumni, with Beauregard being rejected by the UNLV Student Senate in 1976 after a group of African-American student athletes voiced their concerns with the mascot’s Confederate connection.
Hey Reb!, UNLV’s current mascot, was designed explicitly to represent an 1800s Las Vegas valley pathfinder, debuting at a UNLV-UNR basketball game in December of 1982. Today, the mustached and heavily muscled trailblazer is still considered to embody the Rebel spirit of independence and challenging the status quo. Created by local artist Mike Miller, Hey Reb! is nationally recognized and continues to be embraced by the UNLV community.
Beauregard remains here, on the old gymnasium floor, as a permanent reminder of how far UNLV has come. Now one of the most diverse institutions of higher education in the nation, this image from the past serves as a reminder to keep us on track in our commitment to diversity and inclusion as we continue to move forward.
Quick Facts
1967 - The Desert Research Institute establishes a museum to exhibit and house its collections on Maryland Parkway.
1969 - The DRI transfers ownership of its collection to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
1975 - The museum raises enough money to move its artifacts to the old gym in the center of campus. The University names the facility the UNLV Museum of Natural History.
1986 - The first contemporary art exhibition comes to the museum.
1989 - The University formally changes the name to the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History in honor of Las Vegas philanthropist Marjorie Barrick and her continued support of the University.
1992 - The University remodels the museum building and adds on the new Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies
2011 - The Marjorie Barrick loses state funding. Initially threatened with closure, it is saved when it changes focus and integrates with the College of Fine Arts, becoming the flagship location for art on campus. Following refurbishment, it is able to house two important art collections: the Nevada portion of the Herbert and Dorothy Vogel 50x50 and the artworks owned by the Las Vegas Art Museum.
2012 - The Barrick reopens to the public as a contemporary art museum augmented with a permanent collection of culturally significant artifacts.
2016 - In preparation for its fiftieth anniversary, the Barrick officially becomes the UNLV Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art.
The Fifty Years display was organized by Allen Linnabary, Barrick staff and UNLV Graduate History Student. Special thanks to Richard Zwiercan, Kathleen Marx, and Aaron Mayes from UNLV University Libraries Special Collections and Digital Collections.