About
About Us
Dainelle Riley, founder of HBCU Culture Shop, grew frustrated with the lack of apparel easily available for her beloved HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities), Florida A&M University. She decided to take matters into her own hands by creating a small pre-sale line of HBCU items, which sold out twice. She began getting requests for more schools and it was at that moment she realized that she had an idea on her hands.
Riley also wanted to pay homage to her “pop" civil rights activist Willie B. Wyatt, who integrated Notasugla High School and was one of two African American freshman to integrate Auburn University. Wyatt eventually graduated from Tuskegee Institute. Wyatt shared his passion & excitement for HBCUs with Dainelle as a young girl and she wants to continue to pay homage to the rich HBCU legacy and history through the HBCU Culture Shop.
Riley also wanted to pay homage to her “pop" civil rights activist Willie B. Wyatt, who integrated Notasugla High School and was one of two African American freshman to integrate Auburn University. Wyatt eventually graduated from Tuskegee Institute. Wyatt shared his passion & excitement for HBCUs with Dainelle as a young girl and she wants to continue to pay homage to the rich HBCU legacy and history through the HBCU Culture Shop.
Our Why
The major university apparel retailers have left a hole in the HBCU apparel market by not providing a large assortment of designs that represent the significance and importance of who we are as students, alumni and representative families of our HBCUs while embracing our rich culture as a diverse community. In part to this, Historically Black Colleges & Universities miss out on funding by not having fair representation in the licensed apparel market.The HBCU Culture Shop is changing the industry by making apparel that is accessible & fashionable; apparel that provides an outlet for black alumnae & HBCU supporters to deliver a statement of pride!
We take heritage, (African / tribal patterns) history & tradition (historically black colleges & universities), and seamlessly blend them together in a way which is unique and eye catching. Our apparel provides an outlet for black alumni & HBCU supporters to share the love & unique history of HBCUS. Our apparel represents the significance and importance of who we are as students, alumni and representative families of our HBCUs while embracing our rich culture as a diverse community. A portion of each certified HBCU sale goes directly back to our beloved institutions.