Hampton University is the latest HBCU to have a run-in with BLEXIT during its homecoming as it claims its filming was ‘shut down.’ According to the university’s official statement, this was not an issue of silencing BLEXIT at an HBCU—they did not meet the institution’s clearly defined policies for campus access, vendor participation, or media activity.
Hampton University emphasizes that as a private institution, it has an obligation to know who enters campus, for what purpose, and how they can be contacted in case of emergency. The statement notes that BLEXIT did not complete the required Homecoming vendor application nor pay the associated fees. Out of 36 applications submitted, 18 were approved; BLEXIT’s application was not among the approved.
As the university put it: this was “not a matter of suppression; it was a matter of safety, procedure, and fairness.” Hampton says many vendors were informed in the week prior to Homecoming that walk-on participation would not be accommodated if deadlines were missed, and that unauthorized individuals would be escorted off private property…