Jai’s Blog

The battle of the bands is a real big event in our household.  A little history between the rivalry, Norfolk State and Hampton University are natural rivals. The are the two major Historically Black Colleges in the area and they are roughly 30 miles apart.

Pictures and video after the link

Jai’s Grandmother and Grandfather courted married and graduated from Hampton University.  Jai’s Great Uncle James Hall and her Aunt Shirley Hall where both professors there. Him in architecture and her in nursing.  Jai’s Aunt Jamesia also graduated there.  It is a school the prides is self on excellence, they have a history of trying to develop the whole student.  I joke and call them Black Harvard because over the years they have been know as the HBCU to go to if you want to be a Dr, lawyer, or go to graduate school. They are also one of the few private HBCU’s that are not state funded.

Norfolk State on the other hand is a smaller state funded University cross the bay.  It is much easier to get into NSU because they are a state school.  It is a widely known joke as NSU, people say it is easy to get in but hard to get out. Norfolk state will give you an excellent education but may not be as focused on your social skills. I, Jai’s dad choose to go to NSU much to the surprise of my parents, primarily to be in their band.

Although I grew up with access to Hampton University, because of my uncle and aunt, that the average kid didn’t have I still choose NSU. My uncle and aunt lived during my childhood in an at least 100 year old house on the campus. Hampton is one of the first HBCU’s and was started in the 1880′s so you will find a few buildings that are from the turn of the century. I grew going to homecoming parades football games, concerts, lectures, and commencements where like an annual event like Easter at our home.

Because of that influence in my childhood I grew up knowing one thing….that I loved the marching band. At an  early age I almost want to say 3 or 4 I know I wanted to be in the marching band largely due to the Marching Force of Hampton University. I started band in the fifth grade just to get on track for marching band in high school just to make sure I would be able to get in a college marching band. At that time I thought it would be Hampton University.

But during high school there was a disturbance in the force . I discovered the Norfolk State University Marching Spartan Legion. Because I was in marching band in high school I was deeply into the marching band culture and it was known that NSU’s football them was not the greatest but the band was incredible. People paid to go to the football games just to see the bands half time show. I knew that was the band I had to be in.

So long story short, that is why we loved the battle of the bands so much.  Here are pictures of Jai, her mom, auntie Jamesia, uncle Louis and Savannah at the battle of the bands.  And if you are wondering NSU won! BEHOLD THE GREEN AND GOLD!!

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 18th, 2008 at 9:09 PM and is filed under Daddy Post, Jai News, Pictures, Videos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.