COVID-19 will keep the Morehouse College Homecoming from happening for the second year in a row. Morehouse College president Dr. David Thomas announced the cancellation of all homecoming events at his school.
“Unfortunately, because of the escalating spread of the COVID-19 virus in Georgia, the Homecoming festivities scheduled for the week of October 10-17, 2021, including the traditional tailgating, have been canceled and will not be rescheduled,” Thomas said in his letter announcing the cancelation.
Morehouse College also sat out last football season. That won’t be the case this fall as it is set to open the season this weekend and the homecoming game is still set to be played.
“The October 16 football game against Fort Valley State University will be played as scheduled without the Homecoming designation and the number of tickets available to the public will be reduced to allow for physical social distancing in B.T. Harvey Stadium.”
Thomas cited the state of Georgia’s record number for COVID hospitalizations and its infection rate among young people as reasons to pull back from the celebration.
“The state has the sixth-highest per capita infection rate in the nation and an unprecedented number of young people have become ill with the virus,” Thomas wrote. “Given the circumstances, a massive in-person gathering on our campus presents a public health risk to our students which is impossible to ignore. Keeping our students safe is our top priority.”
To make sure it doesn’t turn into an impromptu Spelhouse Homecoming, Morehouse has a limited scope of folks who will be invited in.
“In order to fulfill our commitment to maintain a safe campus environment for our students, Homecoming 2021 will be replaced with a student-only fall festival. Access to campus on October 16 will be limited to students and employees at Morehouse and other Atlanta University Center Consortium institutions, game ticket holders, and pre-designated visitors.”
Morehouse isn’t the only HBCU putting the breaks on homecoming.
Fayetteville State University Chancellor Darrell T. Allison has called for the suspension of all plans for homecoming, according to an email sent out earlier this week.
“After seeing an increase of COVID-10 cases in Cumberland County and the low percentage of Fayetteville State University students who have been vaccinated, the decision was made to temporarily suspend the planning of events for Homecoming.”
Fayetteville State homecoming has been set for Oct. 11 through Oct. 17. FSU is scheduled to host Johnson C. Smith in a CIAA South showdown.