On Oct. 20, The Atrium On Tenth’s lit signboard read “Welcome LBC Black Renaissance Homecoming Ball 2022.” The ball, an annual homecoming celebration, started at 5:30 p.m. with members of the Legion of Black Collegians, their homecoming court and various MU students in attendance. This year’s theme, “Black Renaissance”, reinvented the Harlem Renaissance with a new modern twist.
The legion’s homecoming festivities are all inspired by the overarching theme “New Era Renaissance,” with the purpose of “celebrating Black Art, Music and Culture dedicated to the Harlem Renaissance.” LBC Vice president junior Danielle Levingston said this theme was portrayed throughout this week’s LBC homecoming events, including ZOUsoul: Bold, Black, and Beautiful, Service is Art and Sip, Paint, & Vent.
LBC’s executive cabinet started homecoming preparations months in advance. Levingston said the process was a “labor of love.”
“Even though we started back in the summer, we were still on a very tight timeline,” Levingston said. “So definitely just like the turn around, trying to get all of the homecoming court together.”
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The celebration included a 360-degree photo booth, a DJ booth and an ornament of gold and black decorations.
Following the dinner, LBC President and senior Bryson Ferguson gave a speech. He said LBC is incredibly important as the only Black student government in the nation.
“We decided in 1988 to have a Black homecoming week and a Black homecoming court to honor the Black students on campus and give us a time to celebrate being us and just have fun in this PWI,” Ferguson said.
With a wave of cheers and applause, Ferguson introduced the homecoming court.
“…At the Legion of Black Collegiates’s Ball, our homecoming court represents excellence both in and outside the classroom serving as leaders in academics, service and character,” Ferguson said.
All 10 homecoming court candidates, ranging from all grade levels, personalized their entrances by selecting a song of their choice. After all the candidates entered, the court performed a choreographed dance to Lucky Daye’s “over” that they had been practicing for the past three-and-a-half weeks.
Following the performance, a drum roll of pounding hands on tables announced the homecoming court winners: freshman Morgan Jones, sophomore Bassil Ahmed, junior Elijah Hudson-Moore and seniors Anthony De’Jesus and Obarro Emeje. All winners received sashes and bouquets, elaborate silver crowns were placed on the heads of De’ Jesus and Emeje.
Jones spent weeks of campaigning, which included making digital flyers and promoting herself on TikTok.
“I was in awe. I mean I really feel like I put a lot of time and effort into it. It was very gratifying,” Jones said.
The winners and attendees spent the rest of the ball celebrating.
“That concludes our night, let’s party,” Ferguson said.
Edited by Zoe Homan | zhoman@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Emily Rutledge
James Schneider • Oct 26, 2022 at 9:01 am
What a beautiful event for your gathering. We hope to see all of you on campus in November voting to keep your Democracy. Wishing you well in your future endeavors.