Forever Morgan

I graduated from Morgan State University. I majored in communications. When I decided to go to Morgan State in the mid-1980s, no one supported my decision. All thought attending an HBCU was wrong. People said, directly to my face, I don’t believe in that; black colleges are not good; you are not going to get a job; the world is not all black; black colleges are party schools; you are not going to learn anything; how are you going to cope in the real world where there are whites? Well, my white husband of 11 years can answer that question best.

After my freshman year, I transferred to a PWI, only to realize I made a terrible mistake and transferred right back to Morgan State University after one semester. That decision was one of the best I ever made. Wanderlust was part of my initial choice to transfer, but once I discovered those professors and the school itself did not care about me, I left.

I learned a lot at Morgan State. One lesson I remember is my college did not tell me I would be hired because I am attractive, black, and female. My friends who went to PWIs were told that and experienced severe heartbreak when just the opposite happened. I, on the other hand, was prepared for the bullshit because my HBCU told me what was going to happen, and when it did, I knew how to handle the situation.

As far as work, I had jobs that included serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Congo and publicizing well-known brands and people such as Lawry’s Seasoning, Nikki Giovanni (poet), Tim McGraw (country singer), Linkin Park (rock group), Stephen Cannell (Hollywood producer), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (basketball star), Johanna Lindsey (best-selling romance writer), Janie Hendricks (Jimi’s sister), Monique (comedian-actress), Zane (erotic-writer and producer), Dave Grohl (Nirvana and Foo Fighters) and various politicians, to name just a few. I also held several beauty pageant titles that led to my public speaking career. But I wasn’t supposed to do all of that because I went to an HBCU.

So, when a significant shooting occurred at my alma mater on Tuesday, I was very upset. Homecoming was canceled. Homecoming was always an epic event. I enjoyed noticing how the campus changed, I liked attending the communications department’s annual breakfast, running into old friends, and catching up with all of the cool kids. The last time I attended Homecoming, I was the keynote speaker at the communications department’s annual breakfast. I changed clothes three times. I had an outfit for my speech, an outfit to go to the football game and walk around the yard, and an outfit to attend the party that evening.

So, when this shooting occurred, everyone was and still is devastated. And, I am finding out, this is the third shooting in a row, around Homecoming activities. Is there jealousy surrounding Morgan State? Did Morgan State make someone mad? What is going on?!

On the news, there is footage of the police busting in dorm rooms with guns pointing, scaring students beyond belief. Many students are returning to their homes until further notice. Everything is so sad.

Morganites who are my Facebook friends kept the Morgan spirit alive by posting old Homecoming pictures, pictures wearing Morgan gear, and actually going to Baltimore to meet up with a few other Morganites.

I’ll be there in 2024, and so will a lot of other graduates, I just know it! We all will show our love and support for Morgan State University. It’s going to be another epic weekend, and I can’t wait.