University of Missouri Faces Backlash After Canceling Black Student Event
The University of Missouri is under heavy criticism after canceling a welcome event organized by its Black student government, the Legion of Black Collegians (LBC). The event, titled “Black 2 Class Block Party,” was scheduled for this week but was abruptly shut down by administrators who argued that the word “Black” in the name was exclusionary. For many, including members of LBC, this decision reflects a discriminatory pattern that undermines the presence and identity of Black students on campus.
In a statement shared with LBC, University of Missouri System President Mun Choi said student organizations must avoid names that imply exclusion and claimed that the event’s title suggested it was not open to all. Yet, the official event page stated clearly that the block party was open to everyone, emphasizing that it was meant to celebrate community while welcoming freshmen into the vibrant culture of Black Mizzou. By ignoring this explicit inclusivity, the university sent a message that the very word “Black” is problematic, which many students see as erasure of their identity.
LBC President Amaya Morgan revealed that the organization attempted to compromise by changing the name to “Back 2 Class Block Party.” Even with this adjustment, the administration still refused to approve the event, offering no alternative solutions. The group has pointed out that this is not an isolated incident. Last year, the university required LBC to change the long-standing “Welcome Black BBQ” to the “Welcome Black and Gold BBQ,” stripping away cultural significance in favor of a watered-down version aligned with school branding.
The cancellation has broader implications beyond the name of one event. Black students at Missouri have repeatedly reported incidents of racial harassment, including being called slurs both on and off campus. In response, LBC has demanded that the university publicly condemn racial harassment, hold a town hall within 60 days, and send campus-wide messages reinforcing policies against discrimination. These demands highlight that the issue is not just about an event title but about whether Black students at Missouri can feel safe and affirmed in their identities.
What makes the university’s decision especially troubling is its selective enforcement of inclusivity. Cultural and identity-based events are commonplace on college campuses, yet when Black students name and celebrate themselves explicitly, it becomes grounds for rejection. Scholars and advocates argue that spaces like these are critical for student success, particularly at predominantly white institutions where Black students often face isolation. The administration’s refusal to support even symbolic recognition through event names makes the environment feel less welcoming and more hostile.
For LBC, the repeated suppression of events named for Black culture is part of a larger pattern of discrimination that undermines the group’s decades-long tradition of fostering belonging. As the organization stated, these actions are deliberate acts of erasure. In trying to enforce “neutrality,” the University of Missouri has instead revealed bias, effectively silencing expressions of Black identity while ignoring the real exclusion happening through harassment and hate speech.
