COLUMBIA, Missouri — A black student group at a prominent Missouri university that faced protests over race nearly a decade ago said it was forced to change the name of an upcoming barbecue to Welcome Black and Gold BBQ, instead of Welcome Black BBQ.
The University of Missouri Legion of Black Collegians said in a after on Instagram that it had fought the decision for months and was “heartbroken.” But the university defended the change in a statement, saying the adjustment was made to show the campus is “welcoming to all.”
“As we strive to be an inclusive university, we must not exclude (or appear to exclude) individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives,” university spokesman Christopher Ave said in the statement.
The Legion of Black Collegians began in 1968 after the song “Dixie” was played at a football game while students waved a Confederate flag, the group explained on its website. “Dixie” celebrates life in the old South and originated in blackface minstrel shows. Critics have said the term is racially insensitive.
The group describes itself as “the only black student council in the country.” According to them, all other schools have a black student union or black student alliance.
The group said in the Instagram post that the barbecue is a staple for incoming and returning Black students. At one point, it considered canceling the event, but is now encouraging members to come out on Friday and resist “any further changes to our core programming.”
“We are exploring every avenue to ensure this NEVER happens again. If it does, rest assured, the Legion will have nothing to do with it,” the post read. “Erasing the names and visibility of our events will continue to undermine our presence on this campus, and we intend to do everything we can to remove it.”
The name-change row comes after massive protests broke out on Columbia’s campus in 2015 over the administration’s handling of racial slurs and other racist acts. More than 30 members of black football teams said they wouldn’t play until the university’s president was ousted and a student went on hunger strike.