University of Missouri student group ‘heartbroken’ after it was told to rename its Welcome Black BBQ

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Black student group at a flagship Missouri university that was roiled by protests over race nearly a decade ago said it was forced to rename an upcoming barbecue the Welcome Black and Gold BBQ instead of the Welcome Black BBQ.

The Legion of Black Collegians at the University of Missouri said in a post on Instagram that it spent months fighting the decision and was “heartbroken.” But the university defended the change in a statement, saying the modification was made to reflect that the campus is “welcoming to all.”

“In striving for an inclusive university, we must not exclude (or give impressions that we are excluding) individuals with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives,” university spokesperson Christopher Ave said in the statement.

The Legion of Black Collegians started 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 Government in the Nation.” It said all other schools have a Black Student Union or a Black Student Alliance.

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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 now is encouraging members to attend on Friday and resist “any further changes to our fundamental programming.”

“We are looking into all avenues to NEVER allow this to happen again. If it does, rest assured the Legion will have nothing to do with it,” the post said. “The erasure of the names and visibility of our events will continue to erode our presence on this campus, and we plan to do everything we can to divest from that.”

The name-change dustup comes after massive protests erupted in 2015 on the Columbia campus over the administration’s handling of racial slurs and other racist acts. More than 30 Black football team members said they wouldn’t play until the university’s president was removed and one student went on a hunger strike.