Founded in 2017, Rising Black Men aims to empower Black men, largely through a mentorship program that pairs underclassmen with upperclassmen during their transition into college. The organization also hosts social events for the broader community, and the prom is part of that effort. 

“Even though a lot of our events are focused on uplifting young men, they are for everybody to come out and enjoy themselves,” Nathaniel said. 

The idea for a prom began last year, when former President Myles McGee pitched it to the executive board. It stalled until the spring, when Nathaniel was elected president. He spent the summer working on logistics, including finding a caterer and DJ, choosing a color scheme, and buying decorations.  

“(This event) is really special to me because we’ve never done something like this,” Nathaniel said. “And after about seven months of planning, we’re finally here.” 

For many attendees, the night was a celebration, including for nonprofit leader and founder of Rising Black Men, Dr. Tim Herd. After his freshman year, he wanted to create an uplifting space for young Black men and to counter the deficit-based language often used to discuss Black male persistence in college. 

Since graduating, Herd has tried to return and visit when he can. The prom gave him a chance to see just how far Rising Black Men has come. 

“It’s awesome to see (the organization) continue to grow into events like this,” Herd said. “I’m just excited to be a fly on the wall and take it all in.” 

For business sophomore and transfer student Ivan Phillips, Black Prom has long been a tradition. After participating in Black proms at his previous schools, he decided to run for Mr. Sophomore as a way to quickly get involved in the community. Although he didn’t win the title, he said his goal was just to enjoy the experience. 

“I’ve seen how important Black proms are at other schools,” Phillips said. “It’s just important to bring that success, that classiness, that standard that needs to be set in the black community.” 

Similarly, President of the African Student Union, human development senior Kadiatou Kaba, said the night offered something larger. When it can be hard for Black students to find a space of their own, she said that the prom fills that gap. 

“Especially for the freshmen that come, they'll see ‘oh there’s a place for us,’” Kaba said. “It’s so important to have spaces where you feel important and appreciated.” 

Nathaniel hopes the prom will outlast their time at MSU, that years from now a new group of students will be putting on their formal wear for Black Prom. 

“I don’t ever see people just get dressed up for fun,” Nathaniel said. “I just want to see everybody’s outfits and how everybody turns out tonight.”