I survived Homecoming 2018 at Jackson State! “Why the HBCU means so much more to us!”

JACKSON, MS. — You’ve heard the expression “Not everybody black comes from the same neighborhood or has the same experience.” Well playas…not everybody black with a college degree went to an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). Some of us, like myself, went to PWI’s (Predominantly White Institutions). So our college experience was completely different from our friends that were educated at HBCU’s and homecomings definitely weren’t the same.

Well playas…over the weekend I attended the Jackson State 2018 Homecoming and as usual it was a blast!!! If you’re like me and didn’t go to an HBCU, at the very least, you need to put going to an HBCU Homecoming on your bucket list. I’ve been going to Jackson for years with my wife who’s is an alum and it gets better every time I show up. I’ve been kickin’ it with her crew for so long that I darn near know the fight and school songs. One thing I do know is “THEE I LOVE” is a great time!!!

I went to Purdue University before transferring to Indiana University and yes, I graduated. However, both of my parents went to Texas Southern in the 1950’s when blacks weren’t able to attend PWI’s as freely as they can now. Not only did my wife graduate from Jackson State and several of her cousins but my son is currently a senior at JSU. Talk about a great time not because everything is catered to our culture but because everybody loves their school!!!

Let’s keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1st! We get to Jackson on Thursday afternoon at 1pm, check into the hotel downtown Jackson (The King Edward)  and they are literally setting up for the Block Party out front that starts at 4pm. By 6pm it’s standing room only OUTSIDE!!!! There’s nothing but educated black folks everywhere. There are MD’s, PHD’s, attorney’s, businessmen and women, engineers, scientists, you name it they’re in town for one reason and one reason only, to celebrate their HBCU and of course Black Excellence.

The party goes all night and it’s 48 hours until kickoff!! That’s NUTS!!!! Then it’s up early on Friday morning because the yard is poppin’ at 11am with the band gettin’ loose and then there is a full fledged DJ set up in the middle of campus and it’s crazy. Fraternities and Sororities are steppin’, strollin’ and hoppin’ whichever you identify with. All of the Greeks are posted up at their respective plots as well. I always get to chop it up with my young frat. I’m a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. So G.O.M.A.B. to all the young Blue Phi playas holdin’ it down out there.

However, it doesn’t matter if you pledged or not because it’s a blast being on the yard with black excellence. Jackson State was founded in 1877 just 14 years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed to free the slaves. Y’all do realize that Jackson is in Mississippi right? They were about the business of educating black folks right after there were freed from slavery. Talk about black excellence. THEE I LOVE is a real thing!!!

When I’m on the yard I’m running into folks that look like me that are in their 80’s and 90’s with college degrees and hollerin’ “THEE I LOVE!!” It chokes me up even thinking about it but let’s get back to the party. So after being exhausted from the Block Party the night before and all of the hangin’ out Friday morning. The Day Party starts at 2pm at a joint called “The Last Call.” Not only is the party poppin’ on the inside but it’s in full tilt on the outside too with both a DJ and a band.

What’s so amazing to me is that the City of Jackson understands how important celebrating Jackson State is that the police are everywhere but they aren’t bothering a soul. Nobody is getting jammed up or harassed or anything. They are simply there to make sure everyone is safe.

Back to the party…the Day Party pops until 8pm when they’ve got to close for an hour to clean the joint up and then start this foolishness all over again. But hold up playa, here’s the dilemma, not only are they gettin’ it in at “Last Call” but several other joints in town are calling your name too. Regardless of where you end up for the rest of the evening it’s full of Black Excellence, educated black professionals from every state in the U.S. and in every tax bracket you can think of. Did I tell you that it was only Friday night at this point?

Fuel up playas, because it’s just getting started. You can’t sleep in because the homecoming parade is poppin’ off on Saturday morning and the game is at 2pm but you’ve got to fit the tailgate in at some point too. Okay, I’ll give you neophytes a pass and holler at you at the tailgate after the game because it’s too much for a beginner to absorb all at once.

JSU rocks the house at the game as well. Not only did they beat Mississippi Valley State 23-7 but the game was a blast watching their band “The Sonic Boom of the South” light the joint up with the alumni band steppin’ just as hard. I literally get choked up thinking about the pride everyone has for the school and I didn’t even go to JSU.

I went to IU and could care less about it. It was strictly a business decision but going to an HBCU is a life changing experience. My mother went to her Texas Southern Homecomings every year until she was 74 and she died at 76. She loved TSU because TSU loved her. Neither IU or Purdue loved me back. They took my money and in exchange allowed me to take their classes. They didn’t love me like Big Momma or Uncle LeRoy. They didn’t pour into me like I see JSU pouring love into my own child.

My son is nine and a half hours from my wife and I and we don’t worry about him because we know that JSU loves him and will make sure that he’s growing and becoming a man. That’s what you get from the HBCU that you don’t get at the PWI. Oh, did I mention that the celebration of Black Excellence is still going on. After the game the tailgate lot turns up even thicker until somebody comes up with the bright idea that there’s several other parties that must be attended to before the weekend it over.

Shower, change clothes and it’s off to the races again. By Sunday morning the reality kicks in that we all have careers and families to attend to so it’s hugs and kisses until next time and Lord willing we’ll see you again at the same bat place same bat channel next year. There’s nothing more special than an HCBU Homecoming to celebrate Black Excellence and I’m glad that I get to check the bucket list box every year with JSU. The only thing that was missing all weekend was my man Lil’ Joe! Tell him I said hello if you see him. Thanks Jackson State and all the other HBCU’s for all that you do and stop me when I start lyin’!

Other upcoming notable HBCU Homecomings: 

October 20:

Tennessee State

Tuskegee

Winston-Salem State

October 27:

Hampton

Howard

Morehouse

Prairie View A&M

Texas Southern

November 3: 

Grambling State

Arkansas Pine Bluff