Spelman College Alumna’s Renunciation Sparks Online Controversy

A YouTube video of a former student renouncing Spelman College has sparked controversy on social media. In a video uploaded on January 7th, 2024, Angelise Prince details the reasons behind her decision to renounce the private, historically Black women’s liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia.

In the nearly hour-long video, Prince recounts her newfound connection with her faith, attributing it to God’s calling. She then expresses a strong desire for a deeper relationship with God. During this spiritual awakening, she says she received insights from God and revelations about aspects of her life that were not aligned with God’s will.

Specifically, Prince mentions Spelman College and implies that they made a covenant with a ‘demonic entity.’ She expresses discomfort with the rituals and activities she believed to be demonic happening at Spelman College.

“Very recently within like the last 90 days, I’ve really been… I feel like God God has been really been like calling me to himself and I’ve really he’s given me the grace to have a hunger and a thirst and a desire for him like I’ve never had before,” Prince says.

Prince, who says she attended Spelman from 2012 to 2016 reflected on changes made at Spelman College during her time there. She notes that the school’s motto shifted from “Our Whole School for Christ” to “A Choice to Change the World.”

This change, she suggests, was likely made to ‘promote inclusivity and accommodate various religious’ beliefs on campus. She also mention a scripture from the Bible, Matthew 10 verse 33, which warns against denying one’s faith.

Perhaps one of the most controversial comments in the video is when Prince suggests that anyone (specifically Christians) who ever attended Spelman or rather any HBCU, should consider breaking demonic covenants that do not align with Christ.

The video sparked widespread criticism online and comes as more students and alumni have come forward recently to renounce and denounce Black Greek Letter Organizations.

Earlier week, Zora Maebell Sanders, a rising senior at Howard University released a statement on social media, officially renouncing and denouncing her Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. membership.

Sanders’ reasons stemmed from conflicts between the organization’s rituals and her Christian beliefs. She expressed discomfort with the requirement to take oaths and participate in rituals that she perceives as ‘conflicting with her religious convictions.’

Such announcements have sparked widespread controversy in BGLO and HBCU communities and have led to a conflict between certain aspects of Greek life and Christian beliefs and values. Leaving some Christians and affiliates, particularly those involved in BGLOs, to question whether participation in Greek organizations aligns with their faith.

Prince says of her renouncement that she’s not out to “get anybody” but that she is just “responding to God’s instruction” and warns those who have an issue with her video to “take it to God.”