Confirmed: Alabama Black College Will Perform at Trump's Inauguration

Justin Holcomb | January 05, 2017 11:25 AM

The marching band of a small African-American college in Alabama will participate in the 58th Presidential Inauguration for President-elect Donald Trump, according to the school's president.

Talladega College President Billy C. Hawkins announced the final decision in a statement on Thursday, saying that the "lessons students can learn from this experience cannot be taught in a classroom."

"We respect and appreciate how our students and alumni feel about our participation in this parade," Hawkins said. "As many of those who chose to participate in the parade have said, we feel the inauguration of a new president is not a political event but a civil ceremony celebrating the transfer of power."

Alumni of Talladega College fought back against the idea of their band performing at Trump's inauguration. “I don’t want my alma mater to give the appearance of supporting him,” Shirley Ferrill, class of 1974, told CBS News. “Ignore, decline or whatever, but please don’t send our band out in our name to do that.”