School Pride Goes on Parade At Homecoming Festivities

For Howard University alums such as attorney Angela Robinson, homecoming festivities slowly evolve over the years from a week packed with late-night parties to a weekend of family events.

"You sort of phase through it," explains Robinson, 40, classes of 1990 (engineering) and 2001 (law). "You start off the first few years with all of the parties, then you do the comedy show because you can sit down, and then it's the parade with your kids."

So yesterday morning, Robinson bundled her 7-month-old daughter in a pink Howard sweat suit, popped her into the stroller and met up with two friends and their young children along the parade's 1 1/2 -mile route. She planned to spend the afternoon watching the homecoming football game, in which the Howard Bison lost to the Morgan State Bears 31-30.

Thousands gathered to watch the parade's 20 marching bands, sleek muscle cars and celebrities such as Olympic bronze medal hurdler David Oliver and actors Terrence Howard of "Iron Man," Brandon T. Jackson of "Tropic Thunder" and Lance Gross of "House of Payne."

Also waving at the crowd from a sedan, and wearing an American flag jacket and heavy eye makeup, was Schatar "Hottie" Taylor from the VH1 reality TV show "Flavor of Love." Her claim to fame is attempting to make fried chicken in a microwave.

Police closed many of the major streets near campus for the parade, rerouting traffic through twisting detours. Those living along the parade route in LeDroit Park sat on their front steps or set up lawn chairs. Street vendors sold sandwiches, coffee and $10 T-shirts featuring Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama dressed in a Howard Bison football jersey and tackling Republican nominee John McCain. People snapped photos of the parade with their cellphones or videotaped from their porches. Some quietly watched, while others danced to the booming drums and clanging cymbals.

Several of the marching bands had to travel hours to the parade and a band competition that followed in the afternoon. New Jersey's Plainfield High School marching band started the five-hour trek to the District at 5 a.m. "This is our first time down here, so it was really fun," said sophomore A.J. Wyatt, a tuba player who planned on also exploring the Howard campus during the whirlwind trip.

Three Howard freshmen slept in yesterday morning but ventured outside their dorm in time to catch the end of the parade. The three women, who are from different states but became friends via Facebook before school even started, have tried to hit as many homecoming events as they can: Last weekend they attended the celebrity basketball game. Friday night they went to the R & B concert. And last night they planned to see the step show.

"I met alums yesterday who were 60, 70 years old, and they still had their Howard pride," said Clarice Carthon, 18, who is from Louisiana. "It was really neat."