As the catfish frying oil popped, the children of Southern lifers played.
While TVs showed afternoon games, the song “Before I Let Go” by Frankie Beverly and Maze blared. Millennials and members of Gen Z alike sang and danced to the 1981 hit. There were also songs from Beyoncé.
Laughter and love were contagious from Swan Avenue to Harding Boulevard for a sea of fans in the Columbia blue and gold of Southern University. Before 27,487 people filled the seats of A.W. Mumford Stadium for a rivalry showdown against Jackson State, the majority of those folks indulged in the tradition of a tailgate on The Bluff last Saturday.
The Southern tailgate is not just a cultural staple but also a “beacon for the Black community” in Baton Rouge, said avid tailgater and Southern graduate Varick Williams, 52.
Raheem Pierce, 24, said he “wholeheartedly” agrees. The Iberville councilman and elementary school teacher who graduated from Southern in 2023 also said the statement remains true today.
For generations, this pregame event has reunited Southern alumni, welcomed rivals and created families in fandom regardless of the football game’s outcome.
“We’re here win, lose or draw,” said Michelle Washington, who has tailgated with her family for more than 35 years. “We don’t care what the record looks like. We are right here in this spot on a Saturday.”
The anatomy of a Southern tailgate resembles that of other HBCUs with a passionate fan base that loves its football program. One key difference is the food, which is influenced by the diverse Louisiana taste palate and is prepared with love.
“On a Saturday morning, you can wake up on the Southern campus,” Pierce said, “and you might see a grill and you might smell fried fish at 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning.”
The food spans from standard fried chicken and ribs with the requisite sides to gumbo, pastalaya and crawfish etouffee. If you go to the right tent or RV, you may even find alligator sauce piquante.
A tailgate menu changes depending on the temperature and what’s available. Food items are purchased days in advance and logistics such as parking, the time of the game and the manpower necessary to feed anywhere from 10-100 people will dictate decisions.
When the home-cooked meals are coupled with visiting food trucks such as Carnival Concessions, entering the football stadium hungry by game time is hard to pull off.
One fan who makes decisions for his tailgate group each week is Craig Pierre. The three-time Southern graduate is the president of the Blue and Gold Century Club, an organization founded in 1992 that raises money primarily for the Jaguars’ nonrevenue-generating sports.
Not long after creating the booster club, Pierre and fellow founding member Eddie Braxton took pride in serving the community with their own tailgate, inviting anyone from opposing fans to recruits of various sports.
The tailgate also goes on the road, as the organization sponsors a bus trip to away games that are drivable. From Baton Rouge to schools such as Alcorn State, the Southern faithful bring its food and unwavering support to away stadiums.
The passion for Southern at home and on the road is a way of life, embedded in many people’s DNA.
Pierre used to change his daughters’ diapers during trips to games. The club’s bus became a favorite for kids because they were known for playing cartoons on the road, Braxton said.
The dedication of the Southern fans also comes from an understanding of how far their financial and emotional support goes to a school that is across town from the flagship university of LSU.
“Oftentimes, we don’t get the same publicity and the same support like the school on the other side of Baton Rouge,” Pierce said. “I think it’s always good when we can come out and show our school some support. If we (don’t) support one another, how can we expect other people to support us?”