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Recount Crowns White Student "Mr. TSU" at Tennessee State

By Eddie R. Cole Jr. and Brittini Barnes
Black College Wire

Photo credit: Kenneth Cummings/the Meter Stephen Morrison and Miss TSU, Dairanetta Spain, represent during the Tennessee State homecoming parade.

Morrison, a senior health sciences major, had been first runner-up in the Mr. TSU pageant held Oct. 24. After an emergency meeting among university student affairs officials three days later, however, Morrison was told he had won the title.

"I'm proud of it that I can go down in history as the first white Mr. TSU. It was waiting for someone to grab. I'm proud that I was the first. I hope that I can represent the crown and TSU well and win those people over," he said, speaking of any doubters.

It was only in September that Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen announced the end of the state's 38-year-old civil rights lawsuit to remove segregation from the state's public system of higher education. Tennessee State has admitted a growing number of white students, and the new winner and the displaced winner are friends. In fall 2005, 1,924 of the university's 8,880 students were white.

Mr. TSU is chosen by four faculty members and Miss Black Tennessee.

Ivra Warren, chairman of the Mr. TSU pageant, said the emergency meeting was called after a discrepancy was noticed among the judges' scores after Morrison's request for a recount.

"Due to a mathematical error, we had to call an emergency meeting between the winner and the first runner-up of the Mr. TSU pageant," Warren said. "We were faced with the decision to make the right call and I believe truthfully that that was the right thing to do. I apologize to both parties for the mathematical error."

Kenneth Cummings/the Meter Morrison, left, was runner-up when Darrius Brooks was announced as Mr. TSU at the Mr. TSU pageant.

He said Dwight Pope, pageant coordinator, informed him the committee had recounted the scores and Morrison came out the winner. Brooks said he was unaware there was an appeal process because Mr. TSU is not a Student Government Association position and has no official bylaws stating the rules of appealing a decision.

Morrison—a friend of Brooks since 2004—said that on Oct. 26 he requested only to view his scores. "I wasn't planning on having anything done but I went into Mr. Pope's office to see my scores and I was given the option to have the scores recounted so I said 'yes,'" Morrison said. "Everybody that was involved with the pageant was present at the recounting of the votes."

During the three days of Brooks' reign as Mr. TSU, several members of the university community expressed displeasure with the pageant's outcome.

For example, Sherman Murdock, a sophomore mass communications major from Chicago, began an unofficial petition by having dozens of TSU students sign a white wig mannequin head in support of Morrison. Likewise, some members of the university community left feedback in support of Brooks winning Mr. TSU.

"I feel that after there was still an issue that there shouldn't have been a king announced at the parade or the game," Brooks said.

But he added, "I still plan to represent TSU with the utmost respect. There should be no questions asked about that. This was a problem with administration and has nothing to do with our friendship. It won't hinder our friendship at all."

Morrison said he was excited about taking the reign as Mr. TSU, but said he did not believe that the judges' scores had anything to do with race.

However, he acknowledged the significance of winning the title and had prepared for it before the pageant.

"I knew the arena in which I was competing so I knew I had to be flawless," Morrison said. Morrison said that all four of the contestants did an excellent job of putting on a great show for the university.

"We pulled it off. All of us pulled it off," Morrison said. "I don't know if another group of guys could have done it. Everybody put on a real nice show."

Contestants vie in oratorical, swimsuit, talent and formal wear competitions.

Morrison said the audience for the Mr. TSU pageant and the administration showed their support during the homecoming weekend.

"I can't understate the value of my supporters," Morrison said. "I couldn't have asked for anything more for my crowd. Those guys were awesome."

Dallyssia Cooper, a freshman medical technology major from Memphis, said she felt Morrison had the most thorough presentation.

"Honestly, I think Stephen should have won from the start because his presentation throughout the entire show was good," Cooper said. "If they didn't want Stephen to win, why did they let him run?"

Rekieta Jones, a freshman criminal justice major from Memphis, said, "Stephen should have won anyway. It was obvious that Stephen won. It shouldn't matter if he's white. However, they shouldn't have taken the crown from Darrius. They could have just given Stephen another title."

The annual winner of Mr. TSU competes in the spring Mr. HBCU pageant, a competition in which past Mr. TSUs have fared well. Antwan Suttle won in 2005 and Andre Parson was first-runner up in 2006.

Morrison said he does not believe being white will be hamper him.

"I can't wait to get there," Morrison said. "We can bring the title back to TSU where it belongs. I really don't think there will be any kind of problem."

He plans on establishing a legacy for the 16-year-old position.

"It's relevantly new compared to the Miss TSU (position)," Morrison said. "I think it's a position of untapped power. It's going to be fun," he said.

Eddie R. Cole Jr. and Brittini Barnes, students at Tennessee State University, write for the Meter. Cole is editor in chief and Barnes is a staff reporter. Staff reporter Nakeva Williams contributed to this report.

Posted Oct. 30, 2006