Central State University's school colors and mascot provide rich imagery and an infinite sources of pride. The colors and mascot can be traced back to CSU's founding president, Dr. Wesley. Dr. Wesley was a scholar and contemporary of W. E. B. DuBois in the struggle against the evils of segregation and a champion for racial justice. Dr. Charles H. Wesley became the founding president in 1947 of what is now known as Central State University. Dr. Wesley, who earned a Ph. D from Harvard in history, wrote 15 books on the history of Africans in the United States and Carribeans. He also wrote several books about the history of Black Greek organizations and Black Freemasons.

As Central State's founding president, Dr. Wesley was responsible for a number of historical relics about CSU that persist today. Using his historical knowledge of Africans in the early Americas, he crafted the enduring legacy of our colors of maroon and gold, and adopted the Marauder as the school's official mascot. Dr. Wesley adopted the color of gold because of its universal recognition as a symbol of wealth. His goal was for students and future generations of alumni to appreciate and consider the golden knowledge gained at Central State and the wealth acquired through teaching and learning on the campus of Central State has a profound and intrinsic value that students and alumni will carry with them for a lifetime. Thus, the color gold represents wealth in the form of knowledge.

The color of maroon comes from the people known as Maroons. While slavery was an intricate system practiced throughout the Caribbean Islands and the US mainland, Africans often fought and escaped from the brutal slave labor camps and formed independent settlements of free people. These settlements or colonies were called Maroons. The Maroon colonies were know as fierce fighters who both protected their enclaves and also attacked slave labor camps and, in some instances with their own ships, raided inbound slave ships. Dr. Wesley called these fighting men and women Marauders. Unlike pirates or buccaneers, Marauders were considered to be freedom fighters. The largest and most successful Maroon settlement and freedom fighters were in Haiti. They defeated Napoleon and gained independence from France in 1802. 

Dr. Wesley's intentions were for the Central State community to be recongized as a settlement of free African Americans dedicated to teaching and learning. He believed that all members of the Central State community should regard themselves as modern day Marauders, a community of scholars and students who are tasked with the obligation of going out and rescuing those in need of our wealth, and directing them to this Maroon colony dedicated to teaching and learning.

Dr. Wesley's legacy continues to be displayed everytime the Marauders compete on the field, track and hardwood.