One of the HBCU world’s most unique figures, Abraham Mitchell — better known as Mr. CIAA — has passed away.
Multiple sources have indicated that the 95-year-old Suffolk, VA native has passed away. Mitchell came to symbolize the uniqueness and flamboyance of the basketball tournament for the oldest HBCU conference.
“It is difficult to put into words the depth of our loss with the passing of Mr. Mitchell,” the CIAA said in a statement. “Since 2018, his absence at the tournament has been profoundly felt. Mr. Mitchell will forever hold a cherished place in the CIAA family, having created countless beautiful memories for our fans, students, and partners over the span of more than four decades. As a distinguished member of the CIAA Hall of Fame, Class of 2016, his remarkable legacy will endure for generations to come. During this time of honoring and celebrating his extraordinary life, we extend our heartfelt prayers for comfort and peace to the Mitchell family.”
Abraham Mitchell, a mortician by trade, began by wearing a shirt and tie to support his nephew who played at Norfolk State back in the early 1970s. He then decided to change clothes at half-time, wearing colors from both teams. That eventually turned into wearing the school colors of all of the conference teams.
Players, coaches and schools came and left the conference, it moved from Greensboro to Hampton, to Richmond to Norfolk, to Winston-Salem, Raleigh and Charlotte but Mr. CIAA was their year after year. Well, besides that one year when then-commissioner Leon Kerry kicked him out of the tournament. But he came back and eventually became a part of the growth of the CIAA Tournament as it moved on from smaller cities in North Carolina and Virginia to Charlotte in the mid-2000s.
As the tournament grew, so did his legacy in the HBCU world and beyond. He not only attended the CIAA Tournament, but frequently showed up to support Norfolk State and made a cameo or two at the MEAC Tournament. As news of his death hit social media on Tuesday night, hundreds posted their photos with him in one of his signature suits which he continued to swap in and out at a prolific pace as the years continued to go by. He was eventually inducted into the John McLendon CIAA Hall of Fame in 2016 and continued to appear yearly through 2018.
There was definitely a stir when Mr. Mitchell didn’t show up to the 2019 tournament. Part of his larger-than-life status was that he didn’t have a schedule or a press conference like the teams and athletes — he just showed up every year. So when he did not show up in that season, many wondered if he was alright or even still with us. He revealed to the media that he was still alive, he just didn’t have transportation to make it to the tournament with his suits that year.
However, Abraham Mitchell made a triumphant return to the CIAA Tournament in 2020. His stay wasn’t quite as long and his outfit changes weren’t as extensive, but he was there and that was a comfort to the HBCU basketball fans that showed up in the Spectrum Center.
That would be his last CIAA Tournament, however. The tournament didn’t take place in 2021 due to COVID-19 and when it started back up in Baltimore, we looked for him but he never showed. There would be yearly speculation as to whether or not he was still with us given his age, but someone would always confirm that he was still around.
And then Tuesday night came. A message came through around 6 PM that Mr. Mitchell had indeed gone to glory. Other reports out of Virginia, including Sean Robertson of CBS, began to ring out as well. And it became clear that one of the supernovas of HBCU sports culture had passed away.
There has been some discussion online as to whether or not there will be another “Mr. CIAA” — another dignified brother who shows up meticulously dressed with a wardrobe full of outfits representing a dozen or so institutions and gracious enough to be stopped at every turn by people with camera phones wanting to stop and take photos.
I suppose it is possible — but it isn’t likely. Mr. Mitchell came from an area of the country and a time where being “clean” was at least a weekly state of being for many in the black community. These days, even pastors aren’t wearing suits every week.
What made Mr. CIAA special was more than just what he wore. He was literally larger than life. Players and coaches have had legendary nights at the CIAA Tournament during his time, but all of their records can conceivably be beaten. No one else can outdo what Mr. Mitchell did for so long. Doing it for one year seems stressful enough. But 50 years of spending his own money and resources to parade around at a basketball tournament? Not many people are built like that. Someone else could theoretically put on the clothing, but it would take more than that to carry on the legacy.
What Abraham Mitchell personified was a regal class and dignity in — addition to the clothing he wore — that we can all take something from. And though he will never physically grace the CIAA Tournament again, his legacy will live on for decades to come. Rest well, Mr. CIAA.