LSU, SU unite at ‘Family Reunion’
    On a sunny Saturday at the Parade Ground, more than 3,000 LSU and Southern University African-American students gathered in a picnic-like atmosphere for the first Black Family Reunion.
The event’s name, the Black Family Reunion, came from a book with the same name written by Dorothy Height. In the book, Height discussed the planning process involved in coordinating a family reunion.
“We wanted to bring together both schools with virtually no common ground to have fun and enjoy the day,” said Niki Morrow, event chair. “This shows we are a family and that we can get along and have fun in a safe environment.”
Reunion organizers planned the event as the culmination of the second week in Black History Month, “Celebrating Empowerment and Fellowship.”
“The vibe is what I thought it would be,” said Wayne “Uncle Buck” Haydin, SU Student Government Association representative. “The vibe is positivity and unity with no negativity. It’s a family atmosphere.”
Haydin said students from each university have many misconceptions about each school.
“A lot, not all, of African-Americans at LSU seem to think the students at Southern couldn’t get into LSU,” he said. “And, there is an assumption by some Southern African-American students that LSU students were too snobby to go to a HBCU [Historically Black College or University].”
Otto Vital, a University graduate, attended Southern for four years before transferring to LSU.
“There are stereotypes about each school,” he said. “But, the classes I took at LSU were easier than the ones at Southern, and that is [a stereotype], that the classes at LSU are harder.”
Misconceptions and stereotypes aside, students from both schools united spontaneously throughout the day to play volleyball, barbecue or do the bunny hop, a dance created by a Lafayette music artist.
“This is long overdue,” said Ted James, a Southern student. “We should have done this a long time ago. It’s always been a myth that we couldn’t get along with each other. But, it’s overwhelming. There’s no animosity.”
Hope Landor, a University graduate student in counseling, said the reunion served as a good time to meet people from a different school.
“It’s a great opportunity to get together and to get rid of the myths that we have about each other,” she said.
Throughout the day, Greek chapters from both universities did struts and party hops, choreographed line dances unique to each organization.
“It’s something to get the crowd into the show,” said Gregory Porter, a Southern student who party hopped for extended periods of time. “We’re trying to make people get out there and dance.”
In addition, local dancers and rappers performed for the crowds. Radio station Max 94.1 representatives contributed to the upbeat atmosphere through rap and R&B music.
“We like to be involved with both universities, and we like to be out in the community,” said Jamila Pennington, 94.1 promotions director. “We wanted to come because it’s both universities together, and it’s positive.”
Jermaine Watson, African American Cultural Center director, said the day surpassed his expectations.
“It makes me realize that there really isn’t a big divide between the two campuses,” he said.
Organizations from both universities came to the reunion to further unite the schools.
“We’re trying to break these barriers down,” said Kisha Thomas, Southern’s Association for Women Students president. “We think it’s important for the schools to come together.”
The AWS provides programming to motivate women and give them positive experiences.
Reunion organizers and students both said they would like to see the event continue to grow in size and continue for years to come.
“I’m overjoyed,” said Melody Robinson, University Black History Month chair. “There is so much unity among the students. Next year, we’ll probably expand to get some national artists, but everything is going so well. Everyone has been well behaved.”
Diette Courege