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The sports circle of historically Black institutions took a major hit on Tuesday, as several news outlets and an outpour of condolences on social media confirmed the passing of Abraham “Mr. CIAA” Mitchell, a longtime supporter and unique figure of the annual Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) tournaments. 

Mitchell’s presence and symbolic reputation as “Mr. CIAA” stems from several years attending the highly anticipated tournaments in style — donning spirited, flamboyant attire that represented a passionate appreciation for all historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) and their respective sports teams. 

“Farewell to Mr. CIAA, Abraham Mitchell. This man was an iconic figure of [the CIAA]. The sharp outfits of school’s colors during the #CIAATournament was impeccable. He took pix with fans at EVERY game, EVERY year. You will be missed but NEVER forgotten,” one user wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), followed by the hashtags #CIAAForLife and #MrCIAA.

Mitchell’s legacy as an HBCU sports legend excelled along with the growth of the CIAA tournament, which is the nation’s oldest HBCU athletic conference.

The Virginia native began with wearing a shirt and tie in support of Norfolk State University, where his nephew played in the early 1970s. According to HBCU GameDay, Mitchell would change his clothes at half-time to sport both team’s colors, which eventually led to his standard status quo of wearing the school colors of all of the conference teams. 

Aside from the creative aspect of an all-inclusive wardrobe, Mitchell’s meticulously planned outfits were just as unique as they were flashy, decked down in custom-made, bright suits that he somehow managed to never repeat in the years following. 

In 2016, Mr. CIAA was inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame, solidifying his devotion to the reputable tradition as well as to the long-standing conference itself. 

“So far, as long as I’ve been coming, I’ve never seen anybody wear what I wore,” in 2016, crediting his mother – a seamstress – as his inspiration for why he “started designing myself for CIAA, something different each time I come.”

Mitchell’s cause of death is unknown at this time, but the loss is felt among the HBCU community and basketball fans nationwide. He was 95 at the time of his death.