YO SEMITE shirt sales spike at Museum of American Jewish History store

The cream cotton t-shirt features two pine trees over the slogan "YO SEMITE," with logs forming the letters.

AUGUST 5, 2020 20:50

Yosemite National Park (photo credit: CREATIVE COMMONS) — Yosemite National Park

(photo credit: CREATIVE COMMONS)

The National Museum of American Jewish History's online store is struggling to keep up with demand via a t-shirt reading "Yo Semite" after US President Donald Trump mispronounced Yosemite National Park in the same way.

The cream cotton t-shirt features two green pine trees over the slogan "YO SEMITE," with logs forming the letters. According to the online store, "the designer created the Yo Semite shirt after being inspired by her day job at a Jewish summer camp near Yosemite National Park," and its design is "reminiscent of the shirts your own beloved summer camp provided."

The museum has been selling the shirt in its museum store since 2011, but the president's slip has caused demand to spike, prompting the museum to post a note on its website advising customers that staff "will be filling orders as quickly as humanly possible."

Gaze upon Yo-semite’s towering Sequoias with our "Yo Semite" t-shirt! Get 'em while they're hot: https://t.co/PGNaXqbiwi #Yosemite pic.twitter.com/TXxs5nJ1oR
— National Museum of American Jewish History (@NMAJH) August 4, 2020

On Tuesday, Trump mispronounced "Yosemite':twice during a White House event honoring the signing of a historic deal which would provide millions in funding to national parks across the nation.

“When young Americans experience the breathtaking beauty of the Grand Canyon, when their eyes widen in amazement as Old Faithful bursts into the sky, when they gaze upon Yosemite’s (Yo-seh-might's) — Yosemite’s (Yo-seh-min-might's) towering sequoias, their love of country grows stronger, and they know that every American has truly a duty to preserve this wondrous inheritance,” Trump said.

The museum has been facing financial difficulties recently, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March to seek relief from debt burden incurred from construction of its current premises a decade ago. According to papers filed with the US Bankruptcy Court in Philadelphia, the museum has reported owing just over $30 million to bondholders and around $500,000 to unsecured creditors. About 20% of the museum's budget each year is swallowed up by interest payments.

Social media users have therefore expressed support for the sudden jump in sales of the shirt, with one Twitter user commenting "It would be amazing if this is what financially saves the museum" - although at $26 each, the museum would have to sell a lot of shirts.