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Howard University Homecoming: Elders of The Mecca reflect on homecoming traditions

By: Amber D. DoddSpecial to the AFRO adodd@afro.com Homecoming may be a longstanding tradition at all universities, but Howard University’s homecoming is like no other. From all walks of life, alumni, students, friends and family, all gather in Washington D.C. to celebrate the lifelong bonds that Howard University has fortified. But, surviving the latest pandemic and […]
The post Howard University Homecoming: Elders of The Mecca reflect on homecoming traditions first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

6 months ago

October 23, 2023

AFRO Staff

By: Amber D. Dodd
Special to the AFRO
adodd@afro.com

Homecoming may be a longstanding tradition at all universities, but Howard University’s homecoming is like no other.

From all walks of life, alumni, students, friends and family, all gather in Washington D.C. to celebrate the lifelong bonds that Howard University has fortified. But, surviving the latest pandemic and the everchanging dangers of being Black in America, these reunions and long-time-no-sees hugs resonate harder for older alum.

“This is going to be with you forever, take advantage of your time, even when the worldbeats you up, you can always come home. This is a safe haven from all the riff raff in the world.”

Elder alums spoke to the AFRO about the magic of Homecoming and how reconnecting with old friends, supporting their community and returning to Howard reignites their spirits.

Saturday morning, tailgaters and members of the Beta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha set up their tents in the parking lot across from Starbucks and food as they chatted after the homecoming parade. 2023 marks 47 years in the Alpha fold for Jonathan Johnson of Mt. Vernon, N.Y., 70, who graduated with a political science degree in 1974. “Because of Howard, I was prepared for the world,” he said.

“Howard has been great to me, I got a great education. I worked downtown at the White House and the folks from Harvard or Yale could tell me nothing because I went to Howard,” Johnson said. “My degree took me all over the world, in every continent except Antarctica.”

Jonathan Johnson, one of the elder members of the Alpha Phi Alpha’s Beta chapter attending their homecoming tailgate, returned to The Mecca to reminisce on his times at Howard. Meeting his wife Bonny Johnson on campus, earning a degree in 1974 and traveling the world, he called his Howard memories “priceless.” (Source: Arnold Johnson/AFRO)

One of the eldest members present from the Beta chapter, Johnson said he returned to enjoy the festivities and boasted about the Alpha’s Homecoming Greek Step Show win on Friday night. He visited his old dorm room in Cook Hall Room 129 and found landmarks where he met his wife of 47 years, Bonny, on campus.

“It’s good to see Howard has grown, it’s good to see that Howard is still the Black Mecca and the leader of HBCUs.” Johnson said.

Brian Watkins, another Beta chapter member and 1990 graduate, called Howard the “best four years of my life.”

During homecoming tailgating festivities, Brian Watkins spoke about how times have changed at Howard since graduating in 1980. He worries that D.C.’s cost of living, and activities that compete for children’s attention have altered the college experience. (Source: Arnold Johnson/AFRO)

“Homecoming is home, it’s reconnecting, it’s reenergizing, it’s just so welcoming to be back, I want everyone to experience this.” He said.

Watkins says that the biggest difference in the Howard experience today is DC’s cost of living and the definition of fellowship.

“HBCUs have to compete for the best Black minds now, and I think Howard’s doing pretty well, but I am concerned about the cost of tuition and housing,” Watkins said. “This is all great, but students can’t afford to live here. I talk to parents and they’re talking about paying $1,500 a month for housing. Plus, college is competing with so many other things for these kids’ attention. All we had to do was leave the dorm and that was our whole day right there.”

Saturday’s biggest draw was the football game against Norfolk State University. This year, football alum Richard McGee, a 71-year-old Washington D.C. native, returned to William H. Greene Stadium 43 years after his last game as a offensive lineman in 1980.

McGee said that there was a “collective understanding” about the importance of education for Black men and general feelings at the time.

Richard McGee, 71, returned to Howard to celebrate homecoming football traditions including the 30-year anniversary honoring of the 1993 Howard football team. A member of the football team in the 70s, McGee is a member of Howard’s 2005 Football Hall of Fame class. (Source: Arnold Johnson/AFRO)

“We all felt that we were all in a serious time, because the Vietnam War was going on at that time, and the one thing that brought you to reality is to know that you can be sent to the war at any time,” McGee recalled. “You flunked out, you were in the jungle the next year.”

In high school, he integrated the Bladensburg High School football team. While alone in that experience, his fellow Howard teammates also broke the color barrier at their respective schools too.

McGee is a member of the Howard University Football Hall of Fame 2005 class and said that, with Howard’s long standing traditions still honored at the best Homecoming of all time, it shows the consistent Black excellence that the University produces.

“This is going to be with you forever, take advantage of your time, even when the world beats you up, you can always come home. This is a safe haven from all the riff raff in the world.” McGee said.

(From L to R) Deitre Epps, Yolanda Rowell, Felicia Carpenter are members of Howard’s Class of 1987 who enjoyed homecoming festivities by William Greene stadium. After decades of separation, they reunited at this year’s homecoming, reviving their friendships for the first time in nearly 40 years. (Source: Arnold Johnson/AFRO)

While patrons filtered into the stadium for the Howard Bison’s homecoming battle against Norfolk State University, many ignited old flames and friendships with familiar faces. This was the case for a trio of Howard women from the Class of 1987, Yolanda Rowell, Felicia Carpenter and Deitre Epps. They reflected on Howard’s political landscape in the 80s and how daughters of Black revolutions around the world were flocking to the Mecca.

“We were here with Stevie Wonder, and we marched right up to Washington to make Martin Luther King’s birthday a [federal] holiday,“ Rowell said. Epps also mentioned students being arrested for protesting the apartheid at the South African embassy.

“Jesse Jackson was running for president, and that was one of our first Black men on the ticket,” Rowell said. “Boogie Down Productions, Public Enemy, they were my favorite groups. At the time, our radicalism was perfect. It spoke volumes to me.” Rowell said.

Now at homecoming this year, they chatted about the goals they’ve accomplished, the everyday whereabouts and the children they’ve raised. With these new updates, it’s true that with distance, Epps said, the heart does grow fonder.

“Imagine how that felt after 40 years,” Epps said. “It felt like a belonging, home, family, remembered, cherished, all of those things. Some of this stuff doesn’t come back immediately, but what does come back is that feeling.”

“Yesterday, Felicia said that we’re going to meet up with Yolanda, I said I don’t remember her until she started describing her and then I had this “ding!” moment, asking ‘Wait, Yolanda with her hair like that?! Who curled it under with a bump curl? An image of her 40 years ago popped in my head.”

Rowell beamed with pride for another one of their classmates: United States Vice President Kamala Harris.

“We’ve got the vice president from here, and just to see her hold it down, I just see ‘truth and service’ all in it,” Rowell said of Howard’s motto. “I think there was a torch being passed from Thurgood Marshall being the first Black Supreme Court Justice. She’s not sitting in the seat, Kamala is working and that’s the beauty of it.”

In a thriller Homecoming game against the Norfolk State Spartans, Howard University battled for a 27-23 victory in Greene Stadium Saturday afternoon.

At halftime, the 1993 football team were honored for their 30-year anniversary. Under head coach Steve Wilson, the team went undefeated in that season, winning the 1993 MEAC conference title. Doug Morency was an offensive lineman at that time, and beamed with pride at the stadium-wide recognition.

“Coming back 30 years later, seeing how Howard has progressed and how the team has progressed, it warms [my] heart because I was part of this foundation,” Morency said. “It’s really beyond football. Football was just a catalyst.”

Morency recalled the love he shared with his teammates, calling them brothers that “never lost touch.” He said that Howard’s homecoming festivities are a testament to the University’s ability to build lifelong friendships throughout the Black community.

“We bled together, cried together, won together, fought together, and DC was a different time back then, we had to stick together to survive,” Morency said. “Thirty years later, we’re still close. We have lawyers, doctors, vice presidents, Olympians, congress people, you name it. It’s about life after football as a Howard man.”

The post Howard University Homecoming: Elders of The Mecca reflect on homecoming traditions appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers .

This article originally appeared in The Afro.

The post Howard University Homecoming: Elders of The Mecca reflect on homecoming traditions first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

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