In a town held together by railroad ties and steel, the pride and passion for a football program that suffered an unimaginable loss is still remembered to this day.

Each year on Nov. 14, members of the Marshall University community, young and old, gather to remember the 75 lives that were lost 45 years ago. Through the difficult times the Marshall Football program has had over its history, the unity and community pride still rings out through chants of “We Are… Marshall.”

Nov. 14 is normally a day of remembrance and solemnity. Only this year, for only the sixth time in the 45 years since the crash, it is game day. Following the fountain ceremony, the Marshall University Thundering Herd will honor the 75 as they take on the Florida International University Panthers.

For the first time ever, the Herd will take the field in black jerseys and members said they hope the crowd will join them in wearing black to the game.

In the history of the program, the Herd has never had black jerseys, like many other collegiate teams have for certain games.

Last year, Athletic director, Mike Hammrick, told the team if they won a conference championship, he would make sure they had black jerseys for one game the following season.

After the Thundering Herd 26-23 victory over Louisiana Tech in the C-USA championship in December 2014, Hammrick kept his promise.

Once the decision had been made to get the black jerseys, players were asked to choose which home game they wanted to wear the jerseys. Without much hesitation, the team decided they wanted to honor the 75 by wearing the jerseys for the game against FIU, Nov. 14.

“They told us that they wanted to do something different,” said Aaron Goebbel, associate director of Athletics for External Affairs. “The stars just kind of aligned when we got the black jerseys.”

While there was a small amount of pushback from community members who thought setting the date of the “black out” on Nov. 14 was in poor taste and inconsiderate to the families of those who lost their lives that day 45 years ago, most changed their minds after hearing members of the current team made the decision.

“I know there were families that had some questions about it,” Goebbel said. “I think once we told them the backstory and once they heard about it, they understood.”

Nov. 14 is a day many in the Marshall community hold very close to their hearts; the current Marshall Thundering Herd football team included.

“I would say that we’re at 100 percent when it comes to their understanding,” Goebbel said.

Saturday morning after the fountain is shut off and the town goes silent, a thunder will begin to roar from the Joan C. Edwards Stadium and the Thundering Herd will do what it feels is the best way to remember the 75 lives that were lost in 1970, play football.

“It is a celebration,” Goebbel said. “It brings proper recognition to such a powerful day.”

MacKenzie Kyle can be contacted at [email protected].