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James H. Lane, Senator and Union General; a leading Jayhawker
Jayhawkers is a term that came into use just before the American Civil War in Bleeding Kansas. It was adopted by militant bands of Free-Staters. These bands, known as "Jayhawkers", were guerrilla fighters who often clashed with pro-slavery groups from Missouri known at the time as "Border Ruffians".
After the Civil War, the word "Jayhawker" became synonymous with the people of Kansas.[1] Today a Jayhawk is typically a student, fan, or alumnus of the University of Kansas. "Jayhawk" is also the name of their mascot, a mythical bird with a history based on the Bleeding Kansas era term.[2]
- ↑ Kirke Mechem (1944). "The Mythical Jayhawk". Kansas Historical Quarterly. 13 (1). Kansas Historical Society: 1–15. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
- ↑ "The Jayhawk". University of Kansas. Archived from the original on 2 July 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2016.