Black MAGAs Slate Tour To HBCUs At Homecomings

By Indigo Mays
Howard University
News Service

Throughout its history, Howard University has been a hotbed of Black political thought, with visits from political organizations like Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

However, the announcement that BLEXIT, a conservative political organization, intends to visit Howard and nine other HBCUs for homecoming has drawn criticism from students and the greater community.

Mia Keitt, a junior political science major from Georgia, believes the organization is trying to encourage conflict for media engagement. “Some people are going to be so riled up seeing them there, and the sheer amount of people that are at homecoming means they’re going to get some sort of reaction out of people,” Keitt said.

BLEXIT, is short for “Black Exit from the victimhood mentality.” The group, which was founded in 2019 by Candace Owens, a conservative commentator, says a “victimhood mentality,” or the idea that the legacy of racism plays a significant factor in one’s livelihood, keeps the Black community stagnant in government assistance.

The group aims to engage and uplift urban communities with conservative ideas about the nuclear family, patriotism and economic independence, according to its website. BLEXIT did not respond to requests for comment.

Tax filings show the foundation merged with Turning Point USA in 2023, a political action committee that educates college students on conservative values and promotes conservative thinking. Turning Point recently drew attention after its founder, Charlie Kirk, was killed on Sept. 10.

BLEXIT plans to visit Howard University and nine other HBCUs during homecoming season as part of  its “Educate to Liberate Tour.”

The tour, according to the event website, aims to bring “conservative values to life, fostering critical thinking and sparking powerful conversations.”

Conservative influencers, including Craig Long, Stephen Davis, and Topher and Savannah Craven, are listed in the event’s promotion. The organization is set to be on campus on Oct. 24, the same day that Howard’s YardFest will take place. A stop at Hampton University is also scheduled on this date.

Like Keitt, many Howard students disapprove of the organization’s stop at Howard and distrust their intentions.  Keitt says that she hopes students take caution in engaging with BLEXIT members.

Many social media users shared Keitt’s precaution. A screenshot of a Facebook post from user Robert Patillo has circulated over social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Fizz, telling students: “Do not engage, do not debate, do not boo, do not acknowledge. … They are only there to go viral.”

The HBCUs on the Homecoming tour schedule are Johnson C. Smith, Alabama State, Jackson State, Tennessee State, Florida A&M U. (Cancelled), North Carolina Central, Howard, Hampton, Bowie State and Lincoln University.