The Marching Tornadoes will blow into Washington this week, caught up in a funnel cloud of political controversy. The tornadoes are a marching band -- a 289-member marching band from Talladega College in Talladega, Ala., one of a group of Historically Black Colleges and Universities known collectively as HBCUs. There are well-known alumni from places like Howard University, Spelman College and Fisk University. They put HBCUs on the map. But Talladega was little known before the band accepted an invitation to perform at President-elect Trump’s inauguration.
The Marching Tornadoes will be front and center in inauguration ceremonies, joining other performers such as singer Jackie Evancho, the high-kicking Radio City Rockettes and the universally praised Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Not all the Rockettes are dancing; some refused to go because of Trump’s racist and misogynistic comments on the campaign trail. That’s the same reason one soloist from the Mormon Tabernacle quit the choir.
But all 289 of the Marching Tornadoes are going. Talladega’s president Dr. Billy Hawkins and the school’s Board of Trustees approved the trip, framing the band’s participation as a “civic experience,” which offers the students a chance “to see the transition process up close.” The Tornadoes' decision has fueled hot winds of emotion and anger. Critics charge the school with providing racial cover for a Trump who started the birther movement, who has been insulting to African-Americans and other minorities, and who is not strong in condemning hate crimes. “Be ashamed,” one commentator wrote.
Talladega student Dollan Young and alum Shirley Ferrill went head-to-head in dueling online petitions: Young encouraging the band to go to the inauguration, and Ferrill asking the band to withdraw. Ferrill topped Young’s 700 signers, drawing nearly 3,000 signatures. She told ABC News, “Our ancestors are jumping out of their graves, pounding their fists saying, 'Don’t do this.'”
Sorry, Talladega, I’m with the ancestors. How does a school founded by slaves offer even tacit support for the ongoing racist commentary about African-Americans? What is the price of dignity and reputation? But I do live in the real world, so I understand the college’s motivation. Many of Talladega’s 800 students need financial assistance to pay for the $12,000 a year tuition; the school relies on state and federal grants. And during the last few years, federal grants to HBCUs have been caught in political horse trading that is often benefited by influencers. Talladega plans to ride out the storm of criticism hoping their inaugural performance will position them in the sunshine of the ultimate influencer, President-elect Trump.
The Talladega Marching Tornadoes will make history when they perform for the 45th president. I’d feel a little better about it if they heeded the advice of another commenter. Harry Schroeder posted, “If you’re going to play, play the right songs. “We Shall Overcome,” and “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud.” Now that would be a must-see performance.
Somewhere, Michael Che is enjoying an “I told you so” moment.
The comedian upset a lot of us back in February when he described Boston as “the most racist city I’ve ever been to.” He made that statement during Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update. Cue the avalanche of local indignant responses, racist slurs and threats, and clueless comments aimed at Che. The black comedian was wrong, they said. He was a racist, himself, said others. And many, many began their comments saying, “I am white, but I’ve never seen the racism he’s talking about.”
Maybe they get it now — now that the racism black folks know about firsthand was center field, again, on the hallowed grounds of Fenway Park. Last week, it was Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones' turn to say he was not only “called the N word a handful of times," but was also pelted with a bag of peanuts for good measure. That rabid Red Sox fan and a few others were promptly ejected from Fenway. And a chorus of officials rushed to apologize — the Red Sox organization, Gov. Charlie Baker and Mayor Walsh. The mayor said, “It is an unfortunate incident, and it should not reflect the city or who we are as Boston.”
Except, as Boston Globe columnist Renee Graham has written, it does. Both Che’s and Jones’ experiences are not surprising to those of us who must navigate Boston’s racial climate in situations unseen by most white area residents. It’s why comedian Che responded to an angry online comment from one woman by saying, “Talk to your closest black friend and ask them to explain it to you.” Ironically, the day before the Jones incident, I had been in phone conversations with two people of color from out of town. They are both being courted for important jobs here. Each had asked mutual acquaintances for someone to talk to about the Boston they’d read and heard about. From two different people, the same question: “Is it really that bad?”
Adam Jones was greeted with a standing ovation when he returned to Fenway the night after the taunting. But I know that can’t erase the memory of the ugliness. Sadly, Jones says he’s endured racist taunts in past visits to the Fenway ball field, but this time it was so bad he had to speak out about it. By the way, past and current Red Sox players of color have been slurred, too.
The President of the Boston NAACP observes that not only is “there is something about the climate here” that “allows people to feel comfortable shouting out these words,” but that also “the people around them would find it acceptable.” Tanisha Sullivan’s point was underscored just one night after Jones talked about hearing the N-word. Another rowdy fan screamed the slur at the Kenyan woman singing the national anthem. This is why I’ve always been reluctant to attend any sporting event in Boston, even if the offer came with VIP tickets.
I’ll add my voice to those who want to see policies that would go beyond the all-around apologies to Adam Jones. Permanently blocking them from Fenway — as the Red Sox did for the first time to that last fan — would certainly send a message. As Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said often, “The law cannot make a man love me,” but, he pointed out, “behavior can be regulated.” Whether fair or not, Boston’s reputation as a city of racist incidents clings, and is now further cemented. We’ll really be Boston Strong when we deal with the consequences of that reality.
