I still remember my first Magic City Classic football game. I stumbled from the RV at 5 a.m., sleep seeds in my eyes. The parking lot was already full almost nine hours before kickoff.
Tailgaters were setting up tents and barbecues, as joyful conversation filled the air. The HBCU community was coming together.
By game time, more than 100,000 were in Birmingham, AL, for the classic matchup. Participating schools have a proud heritage and competition on the field was intense. The 80-year rivalry combined power hitting, finesse, and new tricks.
But passion wasn’t just in the game. Almost half the fans never entered the stadium. Instead they tailgated, there to celebrate the Black community and discuss its role in America today.
“Where can I find meaningful employment for Black Americans?” “Do we need an initiative to expand HBCU scholarships?” “What is the meaning of patriotism for African Americans in the US?”
Today, discussions around HBCU Sports continue to be just as important as the game. They expand across the African American landscape, strengthen business connections, and affect life in hundreds of communities.
Kinship across more than 100 HBCUs from Pennsylvania through Texas springs from our shared civil rights history. Graduates become neighborhood leaders, engaged in strengthening community.
HBCU schools are our African American cultural home. And the HBCU community is a powerful movement. Millions of alumni share this bond, with almost 50,000 new graduates per year.
HBCU sports play a critical role in our community’s gatherings.
And this is where Heritage Sports comes in. We are the Voice of HBCU sports. For over 15 years, HSRN has broadcast the most HBCU matchups. Programming also features discussion critical to the future of our community on topics like wellness, business, and education.
I hope you’ll listen to HSRN.com. Enjoy great sports while you awaken your power and engage more deeply with the HBCU family.
Are you getting as much as you should from membership in the HBCU family? Hit reply and share your thoughts.
Lamont Germany
General Manager