After elevating $300,000 to attend, the Imply Inexperienced of Mississippi Valley State College went on with no hitch throughout Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration.
The HBCU marching band joined the official inaugural day ceremonies on Monday, Jan. 20, after asserting in December they’d accepted an invite to carry out. At the moment, they had been fundraising for a portion of the just about $350,000 it will value to attend.
In line with their GoFundMe, the prices related to attending stemmed from journey prices and the acquisition of latest devices and uniforms for the just about 300-member band.
The band acquired backlash nearly instantly upon launching their GoFundMe. Many who opposed the band’s choice cited how a lot white supremacy has been platformed each instantly and not directly via Trump since his first tenure as president, to not point out his administration’s intention to finish DEI efforts all through many establishments.
In an open letter, Bishop Talbert Swan, II, president of the Larger Springfield NAACP in Massachusetts, urged college officers to rethink taking the college’s legacy of Black activism into consideration.
“By selecting to carry out at Donald Trump’s inauguration, the college undermines its historic dedication to honoring Black contributions and views,” he wrote.
In a press release on the time, Mississippi Valley State College’s President, Dr. Jerryl Briggs, referred to as accepting the invitation “a second of delight” for the college and the whole state of Mississippi.
“It is a chance to showcase our legacy, rejoice our tradition, and make investments sooner or later leaders of our neighborhood,” he continued. “This participation permits college students to have interaction within the peaceable transition of energy and acquire world publicity whereas celebrating the college’s seventy fifth anniversary.”
The group surpassed their GoFundMe aim on Friday. On Monday, the Imply Inexperienced of Mississippi Valley State College thundered into the Capitol Rotunda with aptitude in the course of the inauguration. Their heads had been held excessive as the just about 300-member band marched to the entrance for six minutes. Then, a brassy explosion of sound erupted as they performed a energetic medley that included hits like “Earlier than I Let Go.”
The dancers, wearing fur coats with matching hats and glowing leggings, sauntered in round them carrying extensive smiles. The gang went wild, cheering them on.
The announcer stated they had been “proud” to be there from Itta Bena, Mississippi, “representing Traditionally Black Schools and Universities.”
They acquired a standing ovation from the group.
