#BlackU is the collective HBCUniverse of Hillman College (A Different World), Mission College (School Daze), Atlanta A&T (Drumline) and Truth University (Stomp The Yard). Truth or Death follows the lives of April and DJ, DJ’s aunt and uncle Jackie and Nahanial, and Dr. William Palmer, April’s father and the newly appointed President of Truth Univeristy. It has been a little over 12 years since DJ first stepped foot on campus and six since he graduated. He and April — now married- are returning to their alma mater for the first time since either of them graduated. “Truth or Death” tells the story of an HBCU’s fight for self-autonony. It pulls very heavily from the real life struggles of FAMU, Southern, and Arkansas AM&Ns’ fight against state mergers and closures. This will be a WILD ride! Stay with me! I hope you enjoy! #ThirtyDaysOfEssays #Day2 #MEBDKX
Somewhere North of Atlanta.
June 2017
DJ
Can you believe they are finally honoring your aunt and uncle at the Relays this weekend?” April asked from the bathroom. She fumbled through her collection of lip gloss looking for the perfect shade. “Your uncle has done so much for the university. It’s nice to know that they are honoring him for the hard work that he has put in as a groundsmen. I have pushed a lawnmover; that is not easy work.”
DJ laughed from the bedroom. He was in the mirror giving himself one final look over before tonight’s festivities. “They’re not honoring him for cutting the grass, bae,” DJ said with a grin, “Apparently he and aunt Jackie were really involved as students on campus. They were a part of some big “save the school campaign” in the early 80’s or something. Their picture is going up in Heritage Hall. You gotta do more than cut a little grass to get a spot on the wall in Heritage Hall.”
April came out of the bathroom. DJ looked up her and down. “Damn,” he said licking his lips. “Even in jeans and a t-shirt you still fine as hell.” April blushed, glancing in the mirror. She’d decided on a simple white tank top and blue jeans, and her favorite pair of black boots with just enough heel for a good walk -high enough to remind the people that she was indeed a woman in all of the right places. DJ walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her softly in the crevice of her neck.
“DJ,” she said, with her eyes closed pretending to put up a fight. “You know what happens when you kiss me there.”
“Yeah,” he said kissing her again in the same spot. “I know exactly what happens when I kiss you there…and there…and there…” April tried to undue DJ’s hands from around her waist but once he kissed her on her neck, she slowly began to give in.
“DJ,” she said pleading with him, “We are going to be late to the Relays. We’re meeting your aunt and uncle at the tailgate at two. They have our tickets. We can’t be late.”
DJ continued to kiss April on her neck, moving down slightly to her collar bone. “Baby, what’s 20 minutes?” he asked, still kissing her.
“Because your 20 minutes always turns into an hour an a half and I just can’t be bothered with that,” she said prying his hands from around her waist. “We don’t want to be late. We are still 20 mintues away from the campus and its already 1:30.”
DJ finally relented. Even after 5 years of marriage, April still managed to drive him to a point where keeping his hands to himself around her became nearly impossible.
“Besides,” April said returning to the bathroom for one final glance over, “I don’t know why you chose a hotel so far from the school anyway. We could’ve gotten a hotel on The West End or even downtown.”
“I didn’t want to be around all of them niggas this weekend,” DJ said as he searched the room for his wallet.
“And why didn’t we stay with your aunt and uncle again?” April asked.
DJ smiled. “Now how am I supposed to be doing all types of nasty things to you in my aunt and uncles’ house, woman?”
April rolled her eyes. “That never stopped you back in the day.”
DJ laughed and grabbed his keys. “Yeah, I guess you right.”
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The 100th Juneteenth Relays
Atlanta, Georgia.
William
William made his rounds in the alumni tent. The Juneteeth Relays were one of the most exciting times to be on the campus of Truth University. The annual Track & FIeld event brought a homecoming atmosphere at the mark of summer. It was the one time of year where the collective campuses of Atlanta A&T, Truth University, and Mission College and their “sister school,” Hillman, came together to showcase their summer sports for one weekend in June. The weekend was filled with alumni gatherings, crab broils, step shows, tailgates, bonfires, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball, the annual high school battle of the bands, and the crowning event: The Track & Field relays.
The Juneteenth Relays were celebrating its 100th year of existence — and was still as popular today as it was 100 years ago when a few women etched out a “weekend of races” to raise money for athletics over a pitcher of lemonade and sweet potatoe pie. Now a century later, The Junetheeth Relays were one of Black College’s biggest traditions. Alumni from The Black U traveled from all around the world to descend upon the city of Atlanta for a weekend of fun, sports, recruitment, and parties.
William was especially proud this year; it was the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Relays and the first year The Black U invited other schools to participate. For the first time in its history, a school other than Hillman, Truth, Mission, or A&T would have the distinct honor being the coveted Relay champs. Howard, Paul Quinn, Hampton, Florida A&M, Jackson State, Tennessee State, Fisk, Grambling, Tuskegee, Bethune Cookman, and Clark-Atlanta came to the Relays for one reason only: to win. The Relays were a weekend of fun, but at the core, the weekend was about what happened on the track & field.
William worked the room effortlessly. As Truth University newly appointed 15th President, he had the distinct honor(and obligation) to serve as Master of Ceremonies over The Relays that were being hosted on the campus of Truth for the first time in 3 years and first since his installation as President. He walked from one end of the alumnus tent to the other, shaking hands and collecting checks. If William could do nothing else, and exceed at nothing else, he could raise funds on behalf of his alma mater. The newly renovated tack and field were a testament of that fact. The field house, basketball gymnasium, and student housing complex were all proof of his great fundraising prowess. Indeed, William had spent the better half of his life, the last 30 years - fighting for the preservation and legacy of Truth University.
Truth was home. It was home to him, his late wife, his new wife, both of his parents, maternal grandparents, and daughter. For William, Truth University was more than just a university, it was a Black Fortress that was charged with protecting Black intellectual thought at all cost and without trepidation. For William, Truh University, and all 167 years of Her rich, illustrious history, was a testament of what can happen when Black people put the progression of the village in front of the the individual.
“Dr Palmer, It’s almost time for you to make your speech,” Williams’ attention turned to his assistant who had been clamoring behind him collecting checks and writing thank you notes on the spot.
“Thank you, Ms. Vincent,” he said with a rush, making his way to toward the podium. There must of been 150 Truth University alumni under that tent — all of them with checkbooks ready to support their school at a moment’s notice. William already collected 50,000 before tonight’s festivities — and had not bothered to count the checks collected at tonight’s festivities. He set a lofty goal for himself to raise a half a million dollars by the end of the weekend and not a penny less.
William headed to the podium with a stringent smile on his face. He knew that this speech would be one of the hardest he would ever deliver. But, if he learned nothing under the tuteledge of his mentor and former President of Truth University before his death, its that when in doubt, always remember: The “Truth” will set you free.
That is exactly what William planned to do. He planned to get up there and tell the people exactly what they needed to hear — the truth. Because, though things seemed good for Truth on the surface, the fact of the matter was, the university was grearing up for the fight of its life - again. The half a million dollars WIliam was asking for was a mere seed— a drop in the bucket for what Truth University really needed. William pledged his life to Truth and he would defend her and her legacy at all cost.
It was a fight he waged nearly 40 years ago and it was a fight he was ready to wage…again. For William, there were no other options or alternatives. For him, there were no ultimatives or plan B. For William it was either Truth…or death.
