The Citadel hosts third annual Black History Month parade

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The third annual Black History Month parade at the Citadel is in the books.

“For the school to recognize the African American contribution, the graduates, it’s huge,” Tony DeWitt, president of The Citadel African American Alumni Association, said. “And it shows us that we support the school. We support the brand.”

This school says this year’s parade was in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Class of 1973, the first graduating class with more than one Black cadet.

“The four members that came back today, Class of 1973, it’s very meaningful for them because when I talked to them this afternoon, they all said, in essence, ‘The school made me what I am,’ DeWitt said.

Joshua Tolbert, a junior cadet at The Citadel, says it’s an honor to look after them as alumni.

“I mean, just looking at them, knowing that they’ve made it, is already an inspiration in and of itself,” Tolbert said.

DeWitt says the parade also honored the school’s first African American graduate, Charles Foster. DeWitt says Foster attended The Citadel at the same time as the Class of ‘73.

“Charles told these men at the time, ‘Don’t quit,’” DeWitt said. “Whatever you do, don’t quit. Whatever you do, don’t quit. It’s bigger than you.”

Tolbert says events like these inspire him to work hard beyond graduation.

“Just being able to celebrate all that Charles Foster has done for African American cadets at The Citadel, myself included,” Tolbert said. “It’s great to know... I think it’s important that just to set it all recognizes all the accomplishments that African Americans cadets past, present and hopefully going towards the future that The Citadel continues to recognize, recognize those who have made lots of sacrifices for those coming up in the future.”

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