Talladega’s spokesman, Greg Wilson, also revealed the black college will reap long-term benefits that correlate to their inauguration performance.
Talladega College is facing backlash after performing at President Donald Trump’s inauguration earlier last week. The black college received critics from nearly the entire HBCU community it seems, including one notable Talladega alumni.
Poet Nikky Finney, a Talladega graduate and professor at the University of South Carolina, told the New York Times that the black college “had sold out the history of Talladega College for chicken change [and] maybe a tin star on a hatemonger’s parade route.”
But despite the backlash, Talladega leaders forged ahead, claiming that the performance was the right decision.
“This has been an absolutely amazing ride,” Wilson said in a statement. “What started out as a GoFundMe account just to get to D.C. to participate in the inauguration has morphed into something far greater.
“In terms of the financials, it’s a blessing. We’re thankful for it. The band has an immense amount of needs,” he added.
Talladega President Billy Hawkins said that this “is also a demonstration that we made the right decision to allow our students the opportunity to participate in a civic ceremony.”
“It provided our students this opportunity to be a part of history and something they will remember for the rest of their lives,” Hawkins said.
