WASHINGTON – Homecoming is a sacred time for students and alumni at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The weeklong event gives HBCU communities a chance to come together and celebrate.

But this year’s homecoming festivities looked a lot different as schools responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wayne A. I. Frederick, Howard University’s president, cancelled all in-person homecoming events this year because of crowd-size restrictions. Instead, the events were held virtually.

Omari Hardwick, who is well-known for his role in the hit Starz show, Power, hosted the virtual yard fest on Saturday, which followed a week-long agenda of events. The highly anticipated occasion was jam packed with current student testimonies, live virtual concerts and alumni flashbacks highlighting momentous occasions on campus when things were normal.

Watch the video report here: