On February 7th, Christion Gause was crowned the 41st Mister Langston University.
The night began with the opening of the auditorium doors, and the stage was set with black cloths with gold ribbon and white flowers sitting perfectly on their tables.
The 40th Mr. Langston, Deondre Hicks, and his fraternity brothers gathered in the auditorium, sitting one by one in support of their dear alpha brother as he prepared to release his title and give the torch to the next young man. Jazz music played in the background to set the scene of elegance as the audience continued to pile in to see the pageant. The judges settled in their places; many were Langston Alums. The audience continued to chatter before the lights dimmed. On the left side of the stage, a lamp flicked on, revealing the auditor for the counting of the votes.
The pageant began. Friends of the contestants held signs and shouted their numbers, excited for the show ahead. Dezz Lewis, a past Mister Langston and director of elite connection, spoke through the PA system, “It is the fire that pushes us beyond limits, demanding excellence and perseverance. Four young men step up to this stage, each embodying the ambition, leadership and determination.”
“Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” by The Temptations played and the gentlemen started performing, showcasing their personalities.
The first category of the night was oratorical, a form of public speaking. The subject of the oratorical was “discovering authenticity, black men, leadership, and the college experience.”
Each Gentlemen Spoke:
“How does your purpose stay intact when the world is so perilous, and we are in such pesty times? Mark Twain states in the quote of his that there is two most important days in the individual’s lives, is the day he is born and the day he finds out the reason why, and it correlates to one word, and that is purpose,” said Terrance Keys, a junior business manager major from Chicago, Illinois, Contestant #1.
“Authenticity is revolution in a world where we are stuck in a box. Being a black person, let alone a black man, is resistance. I’m authentic in the way that I talk on authority, the way I wear my own with confidence, the way I walk with purpose. But this isn’t about my favorite song or my style, this is about something deeper, where you’re from, nor what you stand for, and why you do what you do as a black man,” said Justice Robinson, Contestant #2.
“It is okay to stay on the stage and be afraid of the light, but do it afraid instead of not doing it at all… every step you take, every action you do, every action you take with courage, paves the way for another man to rise, so even when your voice shakes, even with the doubt creeps in, stand tall. Something I’ve had to learn and embrace during my time here at our dear Langston, is that each man is his own. No one man walks the same, no one man speaks the same, no one man commands the room the same,” said Christian Gause, a sophomore agrobusiness major with a computer science minor, Contestant #3.
“In order to succeed, you have to keep prepared and be aware of the challenges of leadership that we know about every day. The challenge of taking charge, even if you aren’t sure that you’re doing the right thing, the challenge of leading the student body, even though some others might not like them, it might seem the challenge of going to Langston and making sure that you find the light in the darkness, ” said Elijah Clark, a junior agricultural science major from Houston Texas, Contestant #4.
Each oratorical given displayed that the contestants had passion, determination and individuality. These were followed by the talent section of the pageant: Keys sang “Let Go and Let God,” by PJ Morton, Robinson presented an original spoken word, Gause recited one of his poems, and Clark performed a rendition of “Lions, Tigers, and Bears,” by Jazmine Sullivan.
Intermission began and the atmosphere was thick with the remnants songs of wisdom, spoken word and poems given by these strong, educated black men.
The night was coming to an end, but not before the crowning. The judges passed their scoring papers to the auditor in the corner desk and the audience waited patiently while the score was counted. The contestants were brought back to the stage, and the former Mr. Langston said goodbye.
“It’s been said that heavy is the head that wears the crown, and this statement best encompasses my time as the 40th Mr. Langston University … I’m grateful for every step I’ve taken. I’m grateful for every turn and twist along the way. I’m grateful for everyone who held me up when I wanted to fall,” Hicks said.
One by one, the gentleman faced the crowd, seeing those who supported them in this momentous occasion. “
Who will it be?” Lewis announced. “The second runner up for Mr. Langston… Justice Robinson … the first runner up for Mr. Langston is… Terrance Keys.” Dezz Lewis paused and then continued, “Your 41st Mr. Langston is…Christion Gause.”
The crowd went wild in excitement for the once Mr. Orange and Blue turned Mr. Langston. “My previous experience as Mr. Orange and Blue prepared me directly for Mr. Langston. I can confidently say that the skills I gained…came from that experience,” Christion said.
Gause made history by continuing the legacy of his older brother O’Riyan Gause, the 38th Mr. Langston. “The feeling hasn’t fully set in yet, if I’m being completely honest … there has never been a brother duo to both win Mr. Langston … to say the feeling is surreal is an understatement…I am ready to lead with confidence,” Gause said.
The 40th Mr. Langston, DeAndre Hicks, expressed his gratitude to the crown. “It was an honor to be able to add my name to a list that only 39 of the people at the time have obtained… it was an honor to be recognized as an individual who the university deemed worthy enough to represent them … I already know Christion’s character…high morality… I want him to be his authentic self … I want him to make his reign his reign and not trying to compare it to anyone else.”
As he begins his reign, the 41st plans on being an “unorthodox Mr. Langston.”
“Don’t be surprised if you see me fighting directly on behalf of students…This is our university and we shape the years we spend here… I plan on leaving it better than I found it through direct advocacy,” Gause said. 
Jordan Sinkfield
Staff Writer
Jordan Sinkfield is a junior broadcast journalism major
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