BENEDICT COLLEGE

Founded in 1870 in Columbia, South Carolina, Benedict College is one of the South’s historic Historically Black Colleges and Universities, with a legacy built on education, perseverance, leadership, and service. Originally established as Benedict Institute under the American Baptist Home Mission Society, the institution was created to provide educational opportunities for newly emancipated African Americans following the Civil War. With the support of abolitionist and philanthropist Bathsheba A. Benedict, an 80-acre former plantation was purchased to establish a school dedicated to preparing Black men and women to become educators, ministers, leaders, and, in the words associated with its founding mission, a “power for good in society.” In 1894, Benedict Institute officially became Benedict College, marking another chapter in its continued growth as a center for higher learning and Black advancement.

For more than 150 years, Benedict College has carried forward a proud tradition of developing generations of scholars, professionals, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and changemakers. The spirit of Tiger Nation represents determination, achievement, cultural pride, and a deep connection to the generations who came before. The Gainz Sportsgear Benedict College Collection is designed to honor that remarkable heritage by blending the rich traditions of Benedict with elevated, contemporary collegiate style. Every piece represents more than school pride—it celebrates the resilience, excellence, and enduring cultural impact of an institution that has helped shape African American history since 1870. Benedict College is more than a campus—it is a legacy of turning opportunity into excellence and using that excellence to become a power for good.