Homecoming Queen Controversy Erupts at Hampton University

[evanovitch]

Homecoming Queen Controversy Erupts at Hampton University
October 13th, 2009 BET Staff

I’m sure no one on the campus of Hampton University, one of the nation’s leading Historical Black College and Universities (HBCU’s) expected their annual Homecoming Pageant to become national news.

But when a non-African-American woman is crowned Homecoming Queen then writes a letter to the President of the United States complaining about the racial overtones on campus…it becomes national news.

Nikole Churchilll, a 22-year-old senior nursing major became the first non-African-American to be named Ms. Hampton in the history of the institution on Friday.

While her victory has split the campus with some saying she does not deserve the award because of her Guam and Italian ancestry as well as attending classes at the Virgina Beach satellite campus instead of the main campus, her letter to the President is seemingly causing the most angst.

In her letter to Obama, written Sunday, she said her victory was the best moment in her life, however the attitudes of some students on campus has sullied her victory.

“It would be much easier to say that possibly some were not accepting of the news because I wasn’t the most qualified contestant; however, the true reason for the disapproval was because of the color of my skin. I am not African American.”

Churchill, like Obama, is a Hawaii native and is hoping the President will speak to students about racism.

There has been no response from the White House. (The Administration is a little busy right now with dealing with two wars, health care and the economy.)

[mountaingal]

Re: Homecoming Queen Controversy Erupts at Hampton University

[RichD]

Re: Homecoming Queen Controversy Erupts at Hampton University

wonda if dem do dna test fi these things

[CeaBee]

Re: Homecoming Queen Controversy Erupts at Hampton Universit



the girl in the white look vex too

[mountaingal]

Re: Homecoming Queen Controversy Erupts at Hampton Universit

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PRoLurkah</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

the girl in the white look vex too </div></div>

the one black on the far right look like she's thinking &quot;this stinks!&quot;

[julie*mango]

Re: Homecoming Queen Controversy Erupts at Hampton Universit

here we go again wid di angry blakk oomenz syndrome...

[Peasie]

Re: Homecoming Queen Controversy Erupts at Hampton Universit

Maybe &quot;Nikole&quot; figured that if she changed the spelling of her name no one at Hampton would notice her &quot;race&quot;.

[mountaingal]

Re: Homecoming Queen Controversy Erupts at Hampton Universit

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: _______</div><div class="ubbcode-body">here we go again wid di angry blakk oomenz syndrome... </div></div>

pardon?

[mountaingal]

Re: Homecoming Queen Controversy Erupts at Hampton Universit

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gungo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Maybe &quot;Nikole&quot; figured that if she changed the spelling of her name no one at Hampton would notice her &quot;race&quot;. </div></div>
u know, dat did cross mi mine, along with a question about why she would go to an HBC. but really, if dem accept her as student, den she have a right like any other student fi run and win dem competitions.

[diabolical_Tanya]

Re: Homecoming Queen Controversy Erupts at Hampton Universit

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MGee</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gungo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Maybe &quot;Nikole&quot; figured that if she changed the spelling of her name no one at Hampton would notice her &quot;race&quot;. </div></div>
u know, dat did cross mi mine, along with a question about why she would go to an HBC. but really, if dem accept her as student, den she have a right like any other student fi run and win dem competitions.

</div></div>

agree

[evanovitch]

Re: Homecoming Queen Controversy Erupts at Hampton Universit

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Virgina Beach satellite campus </div></div>

isn't Virginia Beach whe dem did ha di big brouhaha wid black students some years bak...in the article they say she attends at the satellite campus there....

so maybe dere is some substance to dem concerns...but then, given dat black women <span style="font-weight: bold">seemingly</span> ape white women wid di perms, weave, fascination wid lighter skin, straighter nose etc, it is hard to complain wen di real ting beat u out in a competition...

[evanovitch]

case in point...some of wat she seh is funny but not ha ha

Talkin' 'Bout Good and Bad Hair


I have yet to see Chris Rock's new movie, &quot;Good Hair,&quot; but the storyline has rocked black barber shops and hair salons nationwide. To perm or not to perm? Are hair extensions an extension of your self-esteem? Be weave-a-licious or au natural? And just how serious are we taking the terms good or bad hair?



While these are questions that black folks have debated over the years, I have personally felt that how we wear our hair should be left to personal opinion and personal taste. And most likely, influenced by the tastes of our parents and grandparents.



<span style="font-weight: bold">The last time i checked, the definition of a diva was all about carrying yourself with pride and strength,and knowing that God put you on this earth for a purpose. And as for grooming, a diva keeps herself up to date with the latest styles, with flawless looks and poise.</span> But in my years of personal development, self-realization and years at Spelman College, I never recalled my self-worth as a woman attached to a specific weave inch requirement, lock length or perm quota.

<span style="font-weight: bold">
I have worn sewn extensions for years. As a matter of fact, I made my own &quot;black history&quot; by being the first girl bold enough in middle school to wear this new technique that was only known to the stars of Hollywood.</span> Weave was a mystery back then, and it was a mystery that I had discovered and pulled off without a hitch. At first I was teased to no end. The kids were relentless! There was hair pulling, jokes made, stares and astonishment from the white kids who just couldn't figure out how my hair GREW so fast! (A note of reference: Kimora Lee Simmons and I attended the same middle school, and she frequently talks of her damaging experiences at this same school, so trust me, I'm not joking.)



That eighth grade year was nothing short of mental torment. But I didn't budge. I loved that I felt &quot;together&quot; at such a young age, and <span style="font-weight: bold">I was also giving my natural hair a break</span>. But as pressures grew, my adolescence won, and so did my need to be accepted, so the summer before high school, I removed my Yaki tresses and cut my hair to a short funky 'do,' paying homage to one of my favorite artists - the great Anita Baker.



I looked forward to the first day of high school, you know - new clothes, new attitude and of course, older, more mature boys! As I walked through the halls to find familiar faces, I noticed something had changed. Most of the girls with short or thinning hair now had tracks and strands cascading down their backs! By the end of the day, at least three former middle school homegirls approached me and apologized for giving me a hard time the year before - then proceeded to swing their new &quot;round-the-way-girl&quot; ponytails from the local beauty supply to first period. There it was - <span style="font-weight: bold">I was a trailblazer in my little suburb and didn't even know it</span>!



To this day, I use that experience as fuel to take on bold looks through hair extensions, whenever and however I choose. <span style="font-weight: bold">I feel honored to be born in a culture that offers so many ways of expression through my strands of strength</span>.



<span style="font-weight: bold">While I don't have a relaxer in my natural hair, I frequently wear a cascading weave that is on the expensive side</span>, but I believe that you get what you pay for. I am not afraid to open a magazine and say, &quot;I want to rock that look!&quot;



And although my very first weave wasn't accepted by the mean kids of middle school, I knew what made me feel glamourous. But make no mistake, what people saw on the outside was only a minor reflection of the strength I felt as a black woman on the inside.



What's even more interesting is that when I returned to my 18-inch Indian Curly #2 tresses, I noticed that I was being treated with a tone of celebrity from strangers of all races; numerous brothers looking to holler, and endless compliments from women who couldn't figure out if I could really grow my natural hair that long. Coincidence? I don't know, but the harsh reality is that attitude is a naked truth of our society and how we react to different standards of beauty. Ironically, during those in-between times when I'd wear my own natural shoulder length blow-dry, not so much attention and fewer &quot;fierce&quot; comments.



Since Garrett Morgan introduced hair refining cream and Madam CJ Walker had the hot combs sizzling on the stove, there has been an ongoing debate about the use of the words &quot;good&quot; and &quot;bad&quot; hair in our culture - good usually meaning fine texture and manageable coifs, and bad usually referring to coarse, rough or damaged hair. What I found interesting is there is one term that is widely accepted by both arguing sides, and that's &quot;nappy.&quot; (As in, &quot;I'm happy to be nappy.&quot



Let's face it: We have carried stigmas dating back to the plantations that will haunt and flow through the generations whether we may want them to or not. We use slang in our speech instead of articulation, but we still manage to make our point. Good hair, bad hair - slang. Otherwise you'd hear more phrases like, &quot;Girl, I have unmanageable and difficult hair. I don't know what it's going to take to make it finer, easier to maneuver and a better texture.&quot; Does the simplicity of saying &quot;good&quot; or &quot;bad&quot; hair make the uses of the terms culturally correct? Not really? But this is probably why it's become easier to use those terms to describe our locks.



Now, of course when we're referring to our children's hair, and we're posed with the same question that Chris Rock's daughter asked him - &quot;Why don't I have good hair?&quot; - wouldn't it be simpler just to say, &quot;Baby, you have beautiful hair that is unique to you.&quot;



Will I go to the theater to see what happens on the floor of the Bronner Brothers hair show in Atlanta when Chris Rock is on the scene? Yep. Will I listen to the commentaries of our colorful sisters and brothers about care for our hair? Yep!



And as soon as I'm done, I'll make my next appointment for a new full head of extensions before the holiday rush.



Love, peace and hair grease!



<span style="font-style: italic">Erica Taylor is a producer of the Tom Joyner Morning Show. Check out her one-on-one videos with top celebrities on BlackAmericaWeb.com's entertainment page, and today's Little Known Black History Fact. </span>

[julie*mango]

Re: Homecoming Queen Controversy Erupts at Hampton Universit

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MGee</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: _______</div><div class="ubbcode-body">here we go again wid di angry blakk oomenz syndrome... </div></div>

pardon? </div></div>

too deep to expound upon but the end product is visibly disgruntled runners up...

i'd like to know on what basis the winner was chosen and if it is what i think it is..then it is a sad state of affairs for black women...

rendering us unable to compete...

even on our own playground...

[julie*mango]

Re: Homecoming Queen Controversy Erupts at Hampton Universit

kinda reminds me of our own MJW contests...

[mountaingal]

Re: Homecoming Queen Controversy Erupts at Hampton Universit

skelly, u can read more hereso


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">This year's pageant included evening gown, swimsuit and talent competitions. Churchill won a $1,500 scholarship, will serve as homecoming queen Oct. 24 and continues on to the 2010 Miss Virginia pageant.

Maye said the Miss HU pageant grew out of the former homecoming queen competition, in which students voted for the winner. Now, the pageant winner is selected by judges and automatically serves as the university's homecoming queen.

This year's pageant was judged by five people, including two certified by the Miss Virginia competition, which leads to the Miss America pageant. The other judges were Joan Gentry, an HU counselor for freshman studies; Lorraine Bell, an HU music professor; and Henry Mills, a senior vice president at Old Point National Bank.

Journalism sophomore Juan Diasgranados said the Hampton campus is split on Churchill's crowning, with everyone from students to faculty and professors weighing in. Some are saying her win is great and embodies HU's spirit of diversity, he said, while others complain that she's not black and doesn't attend the main campus.

<span style="font-weight: bold">&quot;They're saying that people don't know who she is, people don't even see her, so how can she represent us if she's not even from the main campus?&quot;</span>

The main campus has about 5,700 students while the university's Virginia Beach campus has about 90 students.</div></div>