Terry Points-Boney - Alabama (1973)
Cynthia Mays - Florida (1973)
Gail Ransome - South Carolina (1973)
Merike Manley - Arkansas (1982)
Kym Clark - Georgia (1983)
Renee Boutte - LSU (1991)
Tamiko Whitfield - Mississippi State (1998)
Courtney Pearson - Mississippi (2012)
??? - Auburn (????)
??? - Kentucky (????)
??? - Texas A&M (????)
??? - Vanderbilt (????)
??? - Tennessee (????)
These ladies are the first black homecoming queens of the current schools in the Southeastern Conference. The announcement of Ms. Pearson's election has made recent news and came on the heels of UM's celebration of 50 years of integration, which I found to be interesting and rather convenient. I'm not conspiracy theorist, but I can hear them now. For some, the position of homecoming queen represents the image of beauty and the student body. It brings a sense of pride to any group to see themselves represented among the masses, and I can totally understand rise of emotion.
When it comes to the "first black", I've realized that that I break them down into them down into four groups in my mind:
Post-slavery: "We're free now, and you're mad!"
Post-Civil Rights Act: "You tried to hold us down, now we're taking it all."
Eighties & Nineties: "It's cool to be black."
Present Day: (a) "What took so long? (b) "We're not trying to be first, but since it's there, why not?"
I see each milestone as a great achievement in history, and my hat's off to anyone that challenges the status quo. For me, any institution or system that is still operating and shaking off diversity is not for me. I reserve the right to change my position in the future; although, it would not be motivated by the idea of being the first to break down walls and change structures. My imagination has always been strong; I've never needed to see a black face accomplishing a feat influence my motivations.
Congrats to Ms. Pearson and any one that fills in the question marks in the future.
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