Candace Owens’ BLEXIT “Educate to Liberate” HBCU Tour hit a major wall at Florida A&M University (FAMU) when her planned homecoming stop was canceled at the last minute after intense backlash from students and alumni. Students blasted the idea of a political rally during a week meant for celebration, calling it tone-deaf and out of place. By Friday afternoon, the event had quietly disappeared from BLEXIT’s schedule. News outlets confirmed the cancellation but noted that neither Owens nor BLEXIT gave an official reason; only that “a new date will be announced soon.”
FAMU students didn’t wait for one. They took to social media celebrating what many called “a win for the culture.” One Rattler summed up the mood: “They knew better than to mess up homecoming. Good riddance.”
The Rest of the Tour? Quiet as a Mouse.
While the FAMU cancellation made headlines, the rest of BLEXIT’s HBCU tour barely made a sound. Launched to “bring conservative values to life” and “spark dialogue” on Black campuses, the BLEXIT “Educate to Liberate” tour traveled to several HBCUs, but with minimal attendance, no major coverage, and little student engagement. At almost every stop, students and alumni either ignored the events or rejected them outright.
Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte, NC – Sept. 25)The first stop in Charlotte was practically invisible. There were no flyers, livestreams, or public photos. Even BLEXIT’s own social media didn’t mention it. Reports suggest it may have been held off campus with very low turnout. Students later joked that the event came and went “without a whisper.”
Alabama State University (Montgomery, AL – Oct. 3)At Alabama State, the BLEXIT crew arrived with a message of “empowerment and personal responsibility,” but few were there to hear it. No local media covered the event, and no incidents were reported, mostly because students chose not to engage.
Activist Feminista Jones’ viral post summed up the mood: “Do not engage. Let them stare at empty seats. That’s your protest.”
Jackson State University (Jackson, MS – Oct. 10)Jackson State’s stop followed the same pattern. The event drew little to no crowd.Homecoming festivities went on without interruption. Students online mocked the timing, saying no one asked BLEXIT to “disturb this groove.”
Tennessee State University (Nashville, TN – Oct. 17)Tennessee State had already dealt with right-wing agitators weeks earlier, so the BLEXIT team kept things low-key, reportedly hosting their event off campus. TSU students didn’t bother showing up. There were no protests, no altercations; just a quiet evening that went unnoticed during one of the liveliest weeks of the year.
Local NAACP leaders had warned of “outside groups trying to disrupt Black spaces,” but BLEXIT’s appearance fizzled before it could cause a stir.
Silence Speaks VolumesFrom Charlotte to Nashville, BLEXIT’s homecoming experiment failed to connect with HBCU audiences. Students didn’t boo, shout, or protest, they just didn’t show up. For many, the quiet was intentional. HBCU culture thrives on unity, tradition, and pride, and students weren’t about to let a political group shift that energy.
In the end, the message was clear: you can’t spark a movement that nobody asked for.
