Band from black Alabama college will play in Trump’s inaugural parade

ATLANTA — The president of a historically black college in Alabama says its band will perform in President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural parade, despite a barrage of criticism.

Talladega College President Billy Hawkins announced the decision Thursday. It comes after the Presidential Inaugural Committee had announced that the Alabama band had accepted its invitation to march in the Jan. 20 parade.

The announcement followed several days of intense debate on social media. Some people voiced strong opposition, while others said it would be a good opportunity to perform in the parade.

Talladega bills itself as Alabama’s oldest private, historically black liberal arts college.

The college was founded in 1867.