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Wicked Featuring 21 Savage

Source: Prince Williams / Getty

Homecomings at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are magical events that combine unity, expression, pride, and camaraderie. 

Most of these homecomings are made of similar ingredients, but each one has a unique element that differentiates it from all the others. 

Spelhouse Homecoming is no different. Morehouse College and Spelman College are some of the most prestigious institutions in the country. When both of these schools combine in addition to the influx of people from Clark Atlanta University, there is an indescribable vibe powered by the collection of Black excellence that not many other schools can exceed. 

“It’s an absolutely fantastic moment. Everyone looks nice, everyone is coming out as they are. You have music playing, you have all types of sororities and fraternities coming out. You see people you have never seen before,” said Imani Herring, a student ambassador for Spelman College who graduates in May of 2023. “People who graduated 50 years ago are here. So it’s just an absolutely fantastic moment to see so many people come back in the name of Morehouse, in the name of Spelman, in the name of Clark to see everyone come out and support their alma mater and find their old friends and feel that nostalgia of being back on campus again.” 

“If our best athletes, our best minds, our best doctors, lawyers, and business people all come out of HBCUs, you’ll start to see how important this is.”

From the concert that saw performances from 21 Savage and Drake to the tailgate that brought in thousands of people to Morehouse and Spelman’s campuses, it’s safe to say that the homecoming festivities were lit in Atlanta. 

Wicked Featuring 21 Savage

Source: Prince Williams / Getty

However, for many, the homecoming experience was about so much more than that. It was about the power of HBCUs and reinforcing the strength and power of Black fellowship. 

“Homecoming is a reminder of how important HBCUs are,” said Dr. Mark Lester, a Pediatrician and a Class of 1997 Morehouse graduate. 

“This is unbelievably important, some of our finest minds need to attend HBCUs, lift them up and understand how important they are, it’s the cream of the crop of our community,” Lester continued. “If our best athletes, our best minds, our best doctors, lawyers, and business people all come out of HBCUs, you’ll start to see how important this is.”

Homecomings help show HBCUs at their best. At a time when many around the country are paying attention to HBCU culture, it’s important to acknowledge why these institutions are culture carriers. They create an environment that not only establishes excellence but it helps people believe in themselves in a society that oftentimes tells them that they shouldn’t. 

“When you’re here you get a sense of how important you are to the community,” said Lester. “You won’t get that anywhere else.”