Eastern Michigan University has decided to bring back the Huron mascot in its band uniforms, which was dropped two decades ago for being offensive to Native Americans and others.

The logo, which was used from 1929 to 1991, will once again adorn uniforms of the EMU Marching Band along with the block M logo. But they won't be visible on the outside, as the logos are inside the green and white jackets near the wearer's heart, reports Detroit Free Press.

"It's important to note, our mascot is not changing. We've been the Eagles for the last 20 years and we will remain the Eagles," said Walter Kraft, EMU's vice president for communications, to the Free Press.

"We really looked at this as a way to embrace our history and embrace our past and alumni from different eras."

The logo won't be appearing on any other formal university items apart from the band uniforms.

The move is being seen as the university's effort to unite the current students and the alumni, the 'Normalites', a reference to the time when the university was known as Michigan State Normal School. Apparently, many are still vocal against the dropped mascot and won't support the university financially, even after 21 years.

The Ypsilanti-based university dropped the school's Hurons logo and nickname after a 1988 recommendation by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights that asked schools and universities to stop using Indian mascots, nicknames and symbols. EMU was the first university to stand up and comply with the recommendation.

Now, with a resolution passed in 2002 by the Michigan Civil Rights Commission that opposes the practice of using race or culture as a mascot, logo, nickname or symbol, the university might find itself in a tricky position trying to justify its action.

In addition, the effort of the university to please their alumni has not gone down too well with critics, who say it is 'racist and demeaning for schools to use American Indian nicknames and mascots,' reports Washington Post.

But, there are others who consider using Indian mascots as an honor.

"Our stance has always been we didn't see it as anything but an honor to the Hurons and Wyandottes," said Billy Friend to Detroit News. Friend is the chief of the Oklahoma-based Wyandotte Nation, the only federally recognized band that was once in Michigan and known as Hurons.

"We never saw it as demeaning," he said.