Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Howard University” Returns in 2026

The Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Howard University” is a 2026 retail release built in Howard’s home palette of Midnight Navy, sail, and red, marking only the second time a Howard-themed Air Jordan 1 Low reaches the public. It carries forward Jordan Brand’s partnership with the Washington, D.C. school and answers the white away-style pair from 2024 with a darker home look.

Jordan Brand and Howard University signed a 20-year deal in 2022, one of Jordan Brand’s flagship HBCU partnerships. That relationship has produced grail-level Bison player exclusives on the Air Jordan 6 and Air Jordan 4 that rarely escaped the team’s locker room. The first public payoff arrived in 2024, when JustFreshKicks covered the white “Howard University” Air Jordan 1 Low at retail after an earlier player-exclusive detailed look. This 2026 edition reads as the home counterpart to that away release, and it lands alongside a steady run of Air Jordan retros built around school and team colors.

The “Howard University” Air Jordan 1 Low Design

The mockups show a Midnight Navy leather upper across the toe, quarter, and heel, with the Bison’s school colors handling the contrast. A sail Swoosh sits on the sidewall, matched by a sail midsole that separates the navy panels from a red outsole. The heel tab keeps the navy base but adds a sail “AIR” wings logo with red detailing, and the perforated toe box stays true to the OG low cut. Red along the outsole edge ties the look back to Howard’s crimson accents, so the palette covers navy, white, and red without leaning on heavy collegiate branding.

When Does the Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Howard University” Release?

The Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Howard University” is expected to release on October 1, 2026 for $165 at nike.com and select Jordan Brand retailers. It is a general retail release rather than a team-only exclusive, so anyone can buy the home colorway through standard Jordan Brand channels.

Part of: Air Jordan Release Dates 2026 & 2027

Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Howard University”
Color: Midnight Navy/Sail/Red
Style Code: IX8478-410
Release Date: October 1, 2026
Price: $165

What Is the Jordan Brand and Howard University Partnership?

Howard University is a private HBCU in Washington, D.C., and its Bison athletic program signed a 20-year partnership with Jordan Brand in 2022, one of the brand’s most prominent HBCU deals. The tie-in put the Jumpman on Howard uniforms and led to Bison-branded player exclusives across several Air Jordan models. Releases like this 2026 Air Jordan 1 Low OG bring that HBCU connection to a wide audience, since most Howard pairs before 2024 stayed with the athletes. Nike has not detailed whether the retail version will carry official Howard wordmarks on the production sample.

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Mockup images via @zsneakerheadz and Sneaker Files. Final colorway may differ from these speculative renders.