Leonard Greene: Marching band from HBCU Mississippi Valley State unfairly scorned for accepting invite to Trump inauguration

Leonard Greene, New York Daily News on Jan 8, 2025

Published in Op Eds

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We can’t have it both ways. We can’t.

When the Democratic nominee for president hails from a Historically Black College or University, we want to puff out our chests and swell with pride.

“Kamala Harris is a Bison,” we bragged. “She’s reppin’ Howard U.”

Some of us had never even stepped on a Black campus, but we were as proud as parents of a newborn baby.

But when the marching band at Mississippi Valley State, an HBCU, accepts an invitation to perform at the presidential inauguration, we want to treat them like a bunch of Uncle Toms who snitched on a runaway slave.

Why? Because the man being sworn in as president will be Donald Trump.

“This is not just a moment of pride for our university but for the entire state of Mississippi,” said university president Jerryl Briggs,. “It is an opportunity to showcase our legacy, celebrate our culture, and invest in the future leaders of our community. This participation allows students to engage in the peaceful transition of power and gain global exposure while celebrating the university’s 75th anniversary.”

It’s as simple as that.

Yet, when the band went on social media to raise money for the trip, some detractors — let’s just call them haters — acted like Mississippi Valley State was betraying the Black race.

“That is not an excuse to step n fetch for the most heinous person in modern AmeriKKKan history,” one user on X wrote in response to the fundraising request.

“No Valley..Hell Nawl..This ain’t it..,” another critic cried on social media. “Not raising money to go before the Klan Rally..raise money for the betterment of Valley but not to entertain the MAGA faithful.”

C’mon. Really? Did the tuba player raise money for Donald Trump? Did the guy on trombone promote Project 2025?

It doesn’t help that this year’s Jan. 20th inauguration falls on what is also the Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday.

It’s hard to get around the irony of the Hater-in-Chief being sworn in on the same day the country pauses to honor King’s legacy of love and tolerance.

But that’s not the university’s fault.

“An inaugural parade is just that — a parade,” tweeted Danny Glover, a prominent Black actor and social activist.

Glover has been one of Trump’s toughest critics, but he says the band backlash is way off key.

“It’s an honor for any band to participate in this celebration of American music and pageantry. HBCUs have known this for decades and are no strangers to marching in Republican parades.”

Indeed. Florida A&M University’s Marching 100 performed at Ronald Reagan’s inauguration in 1981.

Howard University’s Showtime Marching Band performed at George H.W. Bush’s inauguration in 1989. Grambling State University’s Tiger Marching Band performed at George W. Bush’s inauguration in 2001. And after he was re-elected in 2004, Southern University’s Human Jukebox Marching Band performed at the inauguration in 2005.

And, in 1969, Mississippi Valley State’s band, the “Mean Green Marching Machine” performed at Richard Nixon’s presidential inauguration.

The band launched a GoFundMe site to raise $350,000 it said is needed for uniforms, instruments, scholarships and “other essential resources for its continued development.”

We haven’t seen the program yet, but unless the band was asked to play “Dixie,” or was scheduled to perform between the Proud Boys and Kentucky’s Trinity White Knights, we should accept the moment and stand up and cheer.

“Don’t worry about the people who don’t support,” Kishia Ruiz posted on the site after donating $25. “You all are LOVED & encouraged by many. You are about to show the world the meaning of UNITY. This is a proud moment. Sometimes hate, bigotry, & division comes from people you would least expect. Stand strong. Stand tall.”

And stand proud.

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