Campus
business
By Carmen Scott
If you are familiar with the latest
controversy concerning the
Black Student Movement, you
probably know it has to do with its
gospel choir. However, you proba
bly do not know all the facts.
Though the choir is still a subgroup
of the Black Student Movement,
the BSM Gospel Choir is no more;
its members are now collectively
known as the UNC Gospel Choir.
Once the amendment is noted in the
BSM constitution, the name change
will be official. “This was a busi
ness decision,” says Courtney
Moore, co-director of the Gospel
Choir. However, many BSM mem
bers are taking the decision as a
slap in the face.
During a BSM meeting last
semester, members of the Gospel
Choir voted unanimously to appeal
to its fellow BSM members for a
name change. Why the name
change? Some may be speculating
on the answer to that question, but
choir members confirm there is
really only one answer, marketabil
ity. They felt that acquiring a name
that directly recognized the univer
sity would in turn help to win them
more recognition. Kristian Herring,
co-director of the choir, said that
although the name change has been
anticipated for many years, it has
just recently been spumed by a
desire to boost sales of their soon-
to-be released CD. “UNC is simply
marketable,” Herring said. “The
name of the university carries pres
tige, and we wanted to piggyback
off of it.” Following in the foot
steps of the successful gospel
group. Take Six, a name that
replaced their original, the
Oakwood College Quartet.
Marketability is the Gospel Choir’s
number one priority.
''There needs to be
reasons other than
marketability to go
against a historical
name like that of the
BSM."
Another grievance Herring
said he had with the name, BSM
Gospel Choir, was its tendency to
dissuade non-black members from
joining the choir. In addition, the
fact that “there are a million of
other universities who carry the
name of BSM,” Herring said he
wanted his group to stand out.
To quote one BSM member,
“There needs to be reasons other
than marketability to go against a
historical name like that of the
BSM.” Many members agree,
arguing that it was the BSM who
first offered sponsorship to the
Gospel Choir in 1972 after the uni
versity refused them. Though they
do much of their own fundraising,
the Gospel Choir continues to
receive funds as a subgroup of the
BSM. Still, the Gospel Choir has
been the only subgroup to carry the
name of the BSM in their title,
which astute choir members contin
ue to point out.
Black Student Movement
members continue to point out that
some gospel choir members who
came to the meeting to vote on the
name change were attending their
first and probably only meeting.
BSM President, Tamara Bailey
concurs, but explains, “It’s still
your meeting,” even if it is your
only one, that is how democracy
works.”
When asked if there were
ulterior motives related to holding
the vote during the most poorly
attended meeting of the semester,
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Black Ink