“Say it loud. I’m black and I’m proud” was the chant that rocked the walls of the Wharton Center at the end of the 38th Annual Black Power Rally.
Everyone in attendance departed with their fist raised high after the Black Student Alliance, put on another great rally. The event lasted around three hours taking up that time with skits, poems, and a great speech from the renowned activist and comedian, Dick Gregory.
“Walk on with yall fist raised high and even after tonight is done and a new day presents itself make sure yall go on with your fist raised so we can finally achieve the equality we have been longing for in life and on Michigan State’s campus” said Dick Gregory.
There are always more and more steps to be made in and for the black community, but the question always is whether African Americans will take what they preach seriously. Through the night each speaker urged blacks to come together as one and take the necessary actions to get what their ancestors have killed, marched, and died for throughout history.
“As I sat there and listened to each part of the rally I could not help but to notice others and how they listening, but not hearing what was being said” said Brandon Allen, James Madison student.
“Wake up! We’re in a daze” was the theme for this year’s rally. The Black Student Alliance wanted to encourage, uplift, and educate all in attendance, but many remained in a daze even during the event as they focused on other things like cell phones and shoe laces.
“Seemed as if they were more interested in the songs during intermission than the spoken word and Dick” said Jesse Giles, Chemical Engineering student.
Student danced and sang along and interacted more to the tunes being played between different parts of the program more than reacted to the words being spoken during the event.
Really in the end it is all about what those do after the event that makes the difference and even if they did not get everything they could have gotten out of it, many made the effort to still come and support which shows a lot of love and support for their community.
Dick Gregory said that this event was a step toward a stronger and healthier future for African American students around campus, but this one event cannot change everything. He said that everyone has to come to get to help one another and feel like a family even if we may not even know each other.
The Black Student Alliance gave away shirts in order to help those in attendance remember the event and remember what they learned, but everyone can only wait and see the actions the black community around Michigan State will do to keep themselves rising and not falling back into the past.
“There is no need to walk past each other without saying hello” said Dick Gregory “Yall coming together that is what is going to scare white people and get you what you deserve”
