Homecoming While Black: The HBCU vs. PWI experience

By: Chantel Gillus (’24), Staff Writer

“It’s homecoming, y’all!” is the traditional exclamation to express the excitement for a Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

The crowds are packed with Black beauty and talent, as seen with the strolling and stepping by members of the Divine Nine working to prove who is the best sorority and/or fraternity. The homecoming court arrives in elegant gowns, suits, and crowns representing Black royalty. The food vendors at the football games are filled with mouth-watering soul and grilled food such as fried chicken, fried fish, BBQ, ribs, hotdogs, hamburgers, and the list goes on. The enthusiasm of homecoming transitions over into the huge parties, step shows, and concerts with some of the hottest hip-hop artists. There is beauty in the unity of Black people returning to their alma mater to share their accomplishments, catch up with old friends, and come together to have a good time.

Homecoming is the time to step out with your best outfit; this is the rule at any college, whether it is a PWI or an HBCU. Yet, the outfits at an HBCU contain creativity, flair, and individual style that is like no other because ultimately, Black people are the blueprint of fashion. When it comes to stepping up and showing out, Black people will do more than understand the assignment, they create it.

My former high school is predominantly Black, so I had the pleasure of experiencing a Black homecoming first-hand, especially since I was a cheerleader. Our cheer style was Stomp n’ Shake, which is basically what the name entails: stomping and shaking, with your occasional eight-count routines. The pep rallies consisted of cheer-dance routines to some of the classics that will guarantee to get the crowd hype like “Poison” by Bell Biv DeVoe, “This Is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan, “Choppa Style” by Choppa, and other crowd favorites.

You will also find this at an HBCU where either the cheerleaders and/or dance girls are executing sass, unmatched energy, and eye-catching, rhythmic moves to the soulful, funky sound of the band or the hype music coming from the speakers. The band is the heart of the football homecoming experience as it sets the tone, gets the crowd pumping, and moves people out of their seats. The band’s halftime performance is the most anticipated moment as it displays showmanship through complex routines and playing popular R&B and hip-hop songs. The sound of the band touches the Black soul and it makes you feel alive. Like the liveliness of the band, engaging in the Swag Surfin’ dance at an HBCU homecoming football game is another high-spirited moment. This moment symbolizes togetherness and Black pride. As we sway to the beat and let loose once the beat drops, at that moment we are proud to be Black, be back home, and be amongst one another in a time of good vibes and fun.

An HBCU homecoming offers a cultural experience that a homecoming at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI) does not supply. This is my first homecoming experience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel-Hill, and I am the first amongst my siblings to attend a PWI. Hence, my homecoming experience will be much different from theirs. I expect to see a swarm of faces that are different from mine. I presume that like any other homecoming, it will be a time for partying, alumni returning, showing school spirit, and expressing how the school has changed over time. UNC has changed due to a growing group of minorities coming on campus, but white people are still the majority.

Since UNC is a PWI, the minorities here on campus feel out of place, which is why it is important to find that sense of community amongst your fellow Black peers. We will not get to take part in the traditional HBCU homecoming experience, but we can work with what we have. It is important to gain that Black cultural experience and stay connected to our roots, even if it is at a PWI.

We can craft our own spaces that bring unification outside of a community where we are not prioritized and privileged. Whether it is holding Black performances in the Pit, or holding special cultural events, this is all a part of the process. Homecoming at UNC means building a home where our fellow Black peers can feel safe, valued, and seen.