An HBCU athletic program is making a huge policy change regarding the national anthem. Per a report by The Hilltop, Howard University's student newspaper, reports that the decision was made following the Lady Bison's basketball game against the United States Military on December 29th. The new policy requires student athletes to either stand for the national anthem or stay in the locker room during its duration for the remainder of the season.
Brian Davis, associate women's basketball coach, told The Hilltop that the team recognized the significance of facing the United States Military Academy but chose to kneel during the game after discussing it as a group.
“Our program has been kneeling since COVID, especially when all the social justice things were happening,” Brian Davis said. “All the young men and women Black of color [who] were passing away from the hands of police brutality, we decided to take a stand against social injustice.”
He emphasized that the decision was not meant as disrespect, noting that several members of the program have family ties to military service.
“I think that their personnel kind of took it the wrong way and tried to take it somewhere where it wasn’t,” Brian Davis said. “We didn’t want to disrespect anybody. That wasn’t our intent. But if we did, we definitely apologized to them, and let them know where we stood with it.”
Following the policy change, Howard University Vice President of Athletics Kery Davis released a statement obtained by the Hilltop.
“There have been thoughtful internal conversations between athletics leadership, coaches and student-athletes regarding pregame protocols. The current approach is about supporting our students’ freedom of expression while upholding mutual respect for all communities.”
