WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tennessee State University, led by its mighty Tigers football team supported by an entourage of students, faculty and alumni, converged on the nation’s Capitol city this past weekend, harvesting a 27-14 victory over Howard University’s Bisons, an environment which may have created opportunities for students, job seekers and internship possibilities and much chatter about the upcoming elections.
Like TSU’s homecoming weekend events, Howard University’s homecoming was highlighted by a football game, parades featuring marching bands, floats, step shows by Greek-lettered organizations, myriad food tables, music by guest bands and collections of old friends.
Thousands of people of all ages participated in the seemingly non-stop activity reflected by alumni, former students, future students, parents, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts.
Just a few blocks away from the celebration of Howard’s 100th Homecoming anniversary, professional football legend Darrell Green, who played with the Washington Redskins, was presented a “Key to the City” by Mayor Muriel Bowser, in honor of his community service to the District of Columbia for decades.
Back at Howard, current members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA), founded in 1908 at Howard, hosted a gathering for members of the organization. They touted their fellow member, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, now running for President of the United States. Harris was understandably absent from the sorority meetup, according to chapter members. Still active in the sorority, Harris is known by fellow club members as 3C – “cool, calm and collected.”
Greek club members around the country have individually sent small contributions totaling millions of dollars to help pay for Harris’s campaign, hoping to boost efforts by thousands of people who are door knocking and urging people of all ages to vote.
Scattered among the throngs of attendees were several dozen TSU alumni from Nashville to cheer their team on to victory. Missing were members of the TSU Aristocrat of Bands who were unable to make the trip due to transportation and housing costs, according to TSU officials. Despite their absence, the fans moved on.
