Morgan State’s Haitian students were “disappointed” to see their university send its band to perform in France for the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
On June 6th, Morgan State University’s marching band traveled to Normandy, France for the performance. Music Celebrations International invited the Magnificent Marching Machine in November 2022.
Media covering the event highlighted the importance of the performance. Various publications reported that students and staff in the band saw the performance as a route for more funding and support for the institution.
“I see a lot of HBCUs now getting a lot of grants, a lot of donations from top people,” said Travis Jones, a drummer in the band, in an interview with The MSU Spokesman. “For Morgan to be [the] national treasure and … get this first opportunity to lead the D-Day Parade is just another highlight that we can add toward Morgan,” he said.
Kyra Scott, another drummer in the band, spoke about the significance of the performance in an interview with WBALTV.
“My great-grandfather actually fought in World War II as well and met my great-grandmother. That’s important for me, as well, and to honor everybody else in America,” Scott said.
The Ginger Root could not reach Jorim Reid, the director of the band, for comment. But in an interview with HBCUBuzz, a popular media outlet, he held a similar sentiment as Scott emphasized his goal to honor the fallen soldiers through “HBCU Pride” and patriotism.
“We look forward to not only representing Morgan in grand fashion, but also our country and the many D-Day soldiers that we memorialize each year at this time for their ultimate sacrifice,” said Reid in an interview with HBCUBuzz.
An anonymous band member who wished to stay anonymous for fear of retribution argued that the reach for patriotism is false and is “tainted by the history it seeks to overshadow.”
“I feel like a caricature of myself,” said the band member. “I would be in the place where those same people have murdered, raped and pillaged my people and I’m here thanking them for giving me new instruments.”
Ellis Steide, a senior Haitian multimedia production major, spoke about Haiti’s relationship with France.
“It wasn’t even really a relationship, a relationship implies some equal dynamic, it wasn’t really a dynamic, it was just a ruling class,” he said. “I mean, personally, as a Haitian, I don’t have very good opinions on France, so I’m even more against, like, sending students [to France] to represent me.”
Haiti became the first post-colonial African republic after gaining independence from France in 1804. However, France and America refused to recognize Haiti as an independent nation and refused to trade to destabilize the country.
In 1825, France made Haiti choose between paying 150 million Francs for the lost property — the slaves themselves and plantations in Haiti — or going to war and potentially losing their independence.
Haiti’s government agreed to pay which only further destabilized the country keeping them in debt to France and the U.S. for decades.
Black studies professor at Winston Salem State University, Dr. James Pope, explained Morgan’s performance in France as another piece of “what’s happening on the global scale with fascism.”
“At this particular point, the world systemic processes of colonizers, have saw that for them to maintain their power, they have to make sure that they co-opt and parade black faces,” he said.
Pope argued that these trips are inherently political and African students are accustomed to being used in this game because they don’t know the larger scheme.
“I’m a little bit more, upset at the fact that students, conscious or unconscious, are being used and manipulated in this situation, which again, is on point on brand, in the context of what these institutions, HBCUs, and others, have always done,” said Pope.
Lionel Theodore, a junior accounting major who is also Haitian, commented on the trip as well.
“It just feels wrong,” Theodore said, “It [shows] what the student body values and their lack of knowledge on geopolitics.
“It’s disappointing, especially as a black institution but I’m honestly not surprised,” Theodore added.
Ernandie Innocent, a social work major who is Haitian, mentioned that the band’s trip is a demonstration of the institution’s values.
“It doesn’t show that we care about what’s going on in the world. It shows that we only care about showing face and making money that is only going to benefit us,” Innocent said.
This story has been updated to remove quotes from the anonymous band member due to threats of retaliation.
I’m not gonna lie this was so needed. As a student of MSU I genuinely did see the trip to France at first as a sign of accomplishment for an HBCU, but by reading this I realize how the ignorance of mine plays a vital role in the bigger scheme altogether. So many are focused on the fact that we have been the first HBCU to do it & it is not a common experience, however that’s how society operates & wants us to mentally think; as if we should be “grateful” for the wins we have in a society that constantly tries to be in authority. Culturally we will never be on the same page, & although there are intentions of creating equality in education, livelihood & experiences, that doesn’t negate how history was written. It doesn’t erase what prior individuals have went through, & if those same individuals were here now the changes made wouldn’t present itself as a reasonable excuse enough to be happy about such a thing. The progress made doesn’t dismiss how hard people fought to even have the world at the state in which it is now, although it’s not at where it should be or how it will ever be. This was real enlightening.