In a national competition amongst campus royalty, Mister Howard University Hamid Jalloh came in third place while Miss Howard University Eden Boles took home the crown.
“It’s one of those moments where I didn’t foresee it for myself,” Boles said. “I’m so grateful to be here and to have gotten this title.”
The annual Mister and Miss Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) competition took place from Jan. 20 – Jan. 25 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The competition invited HBCU kings and queens from across the nation to compete for the titles of Miss HBCU and Mister HBCU.
Originally starting as The Mister HBCU Kings’ Leadership Conference in 2005, the competition has evolved into a highly competitive pageant weekend amongst royalty at the different HBCUs. During the 2024 competition, the Miss category was introduced, which now allows HBCU queens to compete as well.
Boles currently serves as the 87th Miss Howard University. She is a senior biology major with a double minor in chemistry and community health from Little Rock, Arkansas. At Howard, Boles has a four-time winning streak in pageantry. She served as Miss College Hall North during her freshman year, Miss Residence Life during her sophomore year, Miss College of Arts and Sciences during her junior year and now as a senior, Miss Howard University.
Boles claimed her fifth consecutive win during the Mister and Miss HBCU pageant weekend, earning the esteemed title of the second-ever Miss HBCU.
Boles was not the only one who represented Howard at this year’s competition; alongside her was the 49th Mister Howard University Hamid Jalloh.
Since Homecoming, both Jalloh and Boles practiced every weekday in preparation for the competition, both separately and together. Faculty from The Office of Campus Life provided them with feedback on their curated pageant performances after the university returned from winter break.
On competition day, Boles said she was unsure about how she would do. During the crowning moment, she noted that she had not won any preliminary awards, leaving her with slight doubts about her overall placement.
“I must’ve either completely failed or I won. There’s only two possibilities,” she recalled thinking.
After an emotional crowning, Boles took home the esteemed Miss HBCU title. Jalloh also placed, earning the spot of second runner-up to the new Mister HBCU, Demitrus Purnell, Mister Norfolk State University.
Purnell was crowned the 22nd Mister HBCU, following his predecessor Gregory Allen Jr., who held the title of the 21st Mister HBCU and the 2024-2025 Mister Howard University.
Originally from Stafford, Virginia, Purnell is an honors finance and accounting double major at Norfolk. He said his experience at the Mister and Miss HBCU conference brought him unforgettable friendships and bonds with the other contestants.
“We saw each other more as family than competition,” he said.
Beyond the standard run of show practice for the pageant, the five-day conference included various leadership workshops and sessions for contestants. Most sessions were separated by gender, placing a strong emphasis on brotherhood and sisterhood. However, many opportunities for all of the HBCU kings and queens to connect and form meaningful relationships with one another were also provided.
“We would have lunch together as kings and queens where we would genuinely just enjoy each other’s presence. Presence was a big thing for me,” said Purnell.
Purnell said that he and Boles had a brief opportunity to discuss ideas for their shared reign following the conclusion of the conference. He is excited about the future with their new titles and looks forward to a successful and impactful year with Boles.
“Being able to serve alongside [Boles] is a blessing and I look forward to all of our endeavors together,” he says.
Boles’ Miss Howard platform “Reshaping The C.R.O.W.N.” focuses on a culmination of resources for opportunities, wisdom and novelty. Through her platform outline, she emphasizes owning individual experiences and backgrounds, taking up space and reclaiming the confidence that makes each person unique, specifically on the campus of Howard University.
Boles says she wants to redefine this platform in her new role as Miss HBCU.
“I would love to be able to frequently travel and go to different institutions and just pinpoint and highlight the HBCU experience no matter what HBCU you go to,” she said.
Following the announcement of her crowning, an outpour of social media support from various Howard University-affiliated accounts expressed their congratulations to both Jalloh and Boles. Boles shared how grateful she is to have taken on this new title and her excitement for what’s to come.
“I’m open and ready to see what I’m being called to do in this role,” Boles said.
Copy edited by D’Nyah Jefferson -Philmore
