By by Kay Wicker, The Grio | The Mean Green Marching Machine of Mississippi Valley State University became embroiled in controversy after accepting an invitation to perform at the Presidential Inauguration. After raising $300,000 to attend, the Mean Green of Mississippi Valley State University went on without a hitch during Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration.
The HBCU marching band joined the official inaugural day ceremonies on Monday, Jan. 20, after announcing in December they had accepted an invitation to perform. At that time, they were fundraising for a portion of the almost $350,000 it would cost to attend.
According to their GoFundMe, the costs associated with attending stemmed from travel costs and the purchase of new instruments and uniforms for the almost 300-member band.
The band received backlash almost immediately upon launching their GoFundMe. Many who opposed the band’s decision cited how much white supremacy has been platformed both directly and indirectly through Trump since his first tenure as president, not to mention his administration’s intention to end DEI efforts throughout many institutions.
In an open letter, Bishop Talbert Swan, II, president of the Greater Springfield NAACP in Massachusetts, urged university officials to reconsider taking the school’s legacy of Black activism into account.
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/mississippi-valley-state-university-performs-during-trump-s-inauguration-after-raising-300-000-to-attend-defends-hbcu-participation/
They received a standing ovation from the crowd.