Two historically Black colleges and universities face off in the Arlington Showdown featuring Texas Southern of Houston and Southern University of Baton Rouge. But Saturday isn’t only about football.
The Arlington Athletics Center in Arlington had busloads of students cycling through it, not to watch a game, but to see what some Historically Black Colleges and Universities have to offer.
"These institutions play a big part in the Black experience," Lone Star Sports Inc. Vice President April Watson said.
The schools with representatives at the fair included the ones that will face off in this weekend's "Arlington Showdown," and a few others like Grambling State University.
"I am the great-great-niece of the fonder of Grambling State University," Grambling legacy Dessie Sanders said.
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"People in my race, we share the same experience," Sanders said. "And we come together, culturally, and work it out among our own society of people."
Lamar High School student La Ron Hulet said he's hoping to go to Grambling.
"Really, the football team," Hulet said talking about his reasons. "But, like, I heard Grambling overall is a good school. It's a good place to be. It will give you that 'home' feeling."
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"Cultural identity is important," Watson said. "You need to know who you are to figure out where you're going, and we shouldn't be ashamed of that."
Lone Star Sports, Inc. is putting on the HBCU College Fair and the Arlington Showdown football game at Choctaw Stadium (formerly Globe Life Park) between Texas Southern University and Southern University. They hope to make it a yearly event in Arlington.
