The Mississippi Valley State University marching band was blasted by the left for agreeing to play at President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural, but the historically Black college is also receiving a boost from Republicans.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves and the Mississippi Republican Party urged donors to contribute to the band’s GoFundMe page as the program seeks to raise $350,000 for the trip to the 60th Presidential Inauguration Parade in Washington, D.C.
“Looking forward to seeing @MVSUDEVILS’ Mean Green Marching Machine represent our state in @realDonaldTrump’s inaugural parade!” said the Republican Reeves in a Monday post on X. “You can help support these incredible students for this exciting opportunity.”
His endorsement came with Trump foes castigating the Mean Green Marching Machine after it launched the fundraiser aimed at covering the costs of travel, accommodations, meals and equipment.
“Talk about shameful, I hope for your own good that y’all don’t raise the money. I don’t know what y’all are even thinking, that man is a blatant racist,” said the Chloe’s Auntie account on X.
Bishop Talbert Swan, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s branch in Springfield, Massachusetts, condemned the university for its “disgraceful betrayal” of the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
The inaugural is held after each presidential election on Jan. 20, which falls this year on MLK Day.
“It is shameful for the university’s leadership to celebrate this as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’ instead of recognizing it as an affront to the cultural and historical values of an HBCU [historically Black colleges and universities],” said Mr. Swan on X.
The media outlet HipHopWired chimed in: “Perhaps the administrators at MVSU would do well to understand that Black excellence shouldn’t include taking a seat at everyone’s table, and marching for a white nationalist could easily be interpreted as sambo-esque tap-dancing with a little extra razzle-dazzle.”
On the other side were those who accused the naysayers of seeking to deny the university and its students a well-deserved honor — and a chance to perform on a historic stage — in the name of scoring political points.
“These kids are going to have the opportunity to perform for the world, to show their gifting to the world, and they’re being told by people who look just like them that they’re sellouts for doing so, and that they should scrap the entire idea,” said musician and political commentator Aquarius Waive on TikTok.
He said that detractors “have let yourself become so occupied with your own racism, your own bigotry, that you cannot see this as a blessing for these kids. You are the problem.”
During his first term in the White House, President Trump signed legislation in 2019 to restore permanently $250 million in annual funding to the nation’s HBCUs.
The MVSU marching band enjoys a storied tradition. In 1965, the program became the first from an HBCU to march in the Tournament of Roses Parade. The band also performed at President Richard Nixon’s inaugural in 1969, according to the MVSU press release.
“This is not just a moment of pride for our university but for the entire state of Mississippi,” said MVSU President Jerryl Briggs. “It is an opportunity to showcase our legacy, celebrate our culture, and invest in the future leaders of our community.”
The university said the band needs to raise $350,000, although the GoFundMe goal was set at $300,000. The page had collected more than $267,000 as of late Monday.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.