I Love Morgan Week (ILMW), Morgan’s version of a college springfest, took place from April 23 to 30 this school year. However, students were surprised by the absence of a hip-hop concert that had previously been an ILMW staple since 2010. 

The Campus Activities Board planned a week full of events including “Renaissance: The Fashion Show,” “Powderpuff and the 7 v. 7 Football Game,” “Benny and the Breeze Patio Party,” “PROM: The Night That Never Was,” and “I Love Morgan Day Carnival.” 

Sunday features a “Praise Party (Gospel Concert)” which surprised students the most as it appeared that the gospel concert took the place of the hip-hop concert that students have grown accustomed to. 

Nyla Thompson, executive chair of the campus activities board, stressed that I Love Morgan Week events are determined based on students’ attendance at past events. 

“If you look in terms of attendance for the past I Love Morgan Week concerts, attendance hasn’t been good. So it’s also kind of like here they’re saying they want this concert, but also didn’t go to the last three of them,” she said. 

The Gospel Concert will feature artists like Everett Young Jr., Andrea Davis, Sid Thompson, Dre Lamonte, L.C. Blackwood and 1 Accord, Nadja Scott and Divine Anointing. The headlining artist is Kelonte Gavin. 

The event will also be hosted by a variety of student leaders, including Liana Alston of Alpha Nu Omega Sorority, Inc. and Kemaj Blow. 

The gospel concert may be new to the recent students of Morgan. Danny T. Molock, assistant coordinator for the Office of Student Life and Development (OSLD), aims to make it clear that gospel concerts have been a part of Morgan traditions for a long time. 

“Just to give you historical context, we’ve always had a gospel concert, traditionally held in February and that was usually held during Black History Month. We haven’t had one since before the pandemic. The last one was in 2016,” he said. 

Due to February’s packed schedule with events this school year, OSLD was unable to bring back the gospel concert during that time, but managed to include it in I Love Morgan Week.

Considering Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar observed by Muslims worldwide just ending, there was some speculation as to if a gospel concert was appropriate for the time. This speculation also comes with the fact that Morgan State University is a public university, which means that it must remain nonpartisan on some issues. 

Thompson said, “Also, with the gospel concert being free it also gives students a choice whether or not they want to go.”

For one final message, Thompson said, “The more involved, the more that you guys come to our events, the more we’re able to do for next year.”