Mississippi HBCU Bands: Preserving Black Southern Cultural Traditions Through Unmatched Music, Drills, Dance, and Soul

When I learned of the opportunity to write about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) bands in Mississippi, I was thrilled. Though I didn’t get to play in college, I marched and played the clarinet at formerly South Leake (now Leake County High School) in Walnut Grove, Mississippi. Our band directors’ styles were heavily influenced by Mississippi HBCU bands. This story shares three different perspectives on the wide cultural impact of Mississippi’s HBCU marching bands in not only the state but across the country and beyond. You will hear from one of Mississippi’s renowned HBCU band directors, Everson Martin; a former band member and rising school leader, Brandon Bell; and a fan who is a performer in her own right—Jackson’s own comedienne, Rita Brent.

An Introduction to HBCU Band Culture

When you think of HBCU bands in the state, three marching bands instantly come to mind: Alcorn State University’s Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite, Jackson State University’s Sonic Boom of the South, and Mississippi Valley State University’s Mean Green Marching Machine. Each band is currently led by band directors Drs. Everson Martin, Roderick Little, and Miguel A. Bonds, respectively. The HBCU band experience is among the beautiful facets of the rich traditions of Black Southern culture. For several decades, these bands have been delivering precision drill marching, distinctive sounds, and high energy to crowds wherever they perform, giving fans the classic hits and today’s hottest music they love.

From the Delta to the capital city to southwest Mississippi, these three HBCU bands have been carving their own paths with friendly rivalries. They battle by playing, marching, and dancing in stadium stands, on the field during half-time shows, and after the games in a friendly competition known as 5th quarter performances. 1 Popular among HBCUs, 5th quarter performances refer to the home and visiting bands performing in a high-energy show on the field after a football game has ended. This also involves fan interaction and music that the fans often enjoy. 

Located in Lorman, Mississippi, Alcorn State University (ASU or Alcorn) has a student body of nearly 3,000 and about 225 members of the Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite—heralded as the Showband of Southland. Their home football games take place at the Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium. In the state’s capital, Jackson State University (JSU or Jackson State) has nearly 7,000 enrolled students and more than 300 members of the Sonic Boom of the South. 2 JSU home games take place off-campus at the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, just a few miles from downtown Jackson. Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU or Valley) is in the Delta region of the state with more than 2,000 enrolled students and hundreds of members of the Mean Green Marching Machine. Game day kicks off at the Rice-Totten Stadium in Itta Bena, Mississippi.

Marching Band Composition

Like typical bands, the Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite, Sonic Boom of the South, and Mean Green Marching Machine feature the following sections: woodwinds, brass, and percussion. In addition to highly skilled sections, the bands are led by a team of drum majors (such as The Jackson Five “J-5” at JSU and The Funky Four at Alcorn). 3 4 The bands also feature popular dynamic dancing ensembles, also known as majorettes: the Prancing J-Settes at JSU, the World Renown Golden Girls at Alcorn, and the Satin Dolls at Valley. At Alcorn, Director of Bands Everson Martin reintroduced a flag ensemble called the Purple Flashers in 2019. 4 Every section in each band is vital in bringing the band directors’ vision to life on the field. But before showtime happens, each band must put in several hours of practice.

Blood, Sweat, and Tears at Band Camp

People want to enjoy themselves at the games so you give them something they can bob their heads to, and all of this is learned at band camp.

The hard work that goes into preparing for football season year after year begins with pre-drill practice, also known as band camp. I spoke with Everson Martin just as he had climbed down from his podium after addressing nearly 200 band members during Alcorn’s band camp on August 16, 2024. He was just three days away from the 2024-2025 school year and eight days from announcing that the Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite would be performing at the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. 6

“Band camp is a few weeks before the season and the fall semester starts,” said Martin. “It’s a lot of conditioning and playing. You want to make sure the students are up to par and really dial into what’s going on. They learn a lot of techniques, the fundamentals, and rehash traditional songs and marches—those tools that get the crowd hype and into the game.”

Martin has been a music educator at Alcorn for the past 20 years. He served as a high school band director for seven years, then desired to lead a band program at the collegiate level. Martin became connected with Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Music, Dr. Renardo Murray, and was invited to Alcorn for an interview. When he joined the staff, he felt right at home. “I was welcomed into the community and fell in love with the culture, people, and students,” Martin said. “I was originally going to stay a year, but it’s been my home for the past 12 or 13 years.”

“HBCU band culture in Mississippi is exciting,” Martin continued. “When you look at the band directors that have been at the helm and the musicians that have come across those and out of their respective band programs, it’s nothing like it.” 

During his tenure, Martin has instilled in hundreds of band members what it takes to be among the best. At band camp, students learn the drills--or the precise, choreographed movements and formations--they will perform and incorporate the techniques and maneuvers they will do in the field show. Martin said that band camp is typically two weeks long, sunup to sundown, since there are no classes on campus, and most bands follow the same staple. The outside drills are typically done early in the morning or late at night to avoid the summer heat. During the day, the students are usually inside the band hall learning and playing music. Band members learn to play many different genres like R&B, gospel, classical, and old school music. Martin said the students also learn popular music, songs played on the radio, and on TikTok.

“We are in Mississippi, so we’ve got to also give our fans some blues and hip-hop. It’s a little bit of everything...People want to enjoy themselves at the games so you give them something they can bob their heads to, and all of this is learned at band camp,” Martin said. “Those first few weeks are everything. A lot of hard work goes into it.”

Students often prepare for the rigorous camp by changing their eating habits and incorporating more exercise into their daily routine to strengthen their diaphragms and increase their stamina for performing. 

I spoke with Brandon Bell about his experience as a former percussionist with the JSU Sonic Boom of the South. The JSU alumnus first joined the band in 2012 and is currently a marketing manager for the university. “Band camp is mentally tough and tiring, but it prepares you for the season that’s approaching to last playing six, seven, eight, and sometimes nine hours straight,” Bell said as he was in the middle of working on multiple projects in preparation for nearly 7,000 students’ return to the campus.

The Hattiesburg native said that being a part of an HBCU band taught him how to be resilient and that he will always be thankful for his experience. 

“HBCU bands are a timeless record player in the sense that they play the hottest music that’s out today, but they can also play classic hits from the past so everyone of all ages can come listen to an HBCU band and hear something they will recognize,” Bell continued. “It’s a performance that your soul never knew it needed to experience before you got it.” 

Comedienne, writer, and musician Rita Brent, who is also a JSU alumna, enjoys the performances of each HBCU band in Mississippi. She took the time to share her insight while preparing for several comedy tour shows and a voters’ panel discussion during the fall. “It’s not easy to reign among the top bands in the world. I know the shows and performances are undoubtedly entertaining to the naked eye, but the commitment requires incessant sacrifices, blood, sweat, and tears,” said Brent. “They should not be underestimated. It takes band members, faculty, staff, support from loved ones, and support from university administrators to operate at this level of excellence in years past and years to come.”

Brent added, “HBCU bands are revered, coveted, even, for their ability to capture the essence of popular music and draw emotions from crowds regardless of what a scoreboard says.”

Behind Great HBCU Bands, A Small and Mighty Staff 

With hundreds of students in each band, it is important to have a solid staff to help manage band activities and mentor students throughout the year. “The staff plays a vital role,” said Everson Martin. “It’s like the old saying goes, ‘it takes a village.’ It’s the same with a big group dynamic because you can’t see everything.” Martin’s staff at Alcorn provides comprehensive support (musical guidance, motivation, logistical, mentorship, etc.), monitors the students, and makes sure they have everything they need. The staff also makes sure that each section is in sync, the drill is precise, and the music is in order. 

“When you’re working with HBCU bands or bands in general, a lot goes into it that people just don’t think about,” Martin said. “They see the bands and pageantry, not knowing that it’s a lot of work behind the scenes that took place. Some people discount it not knowing it’s people that made this happen. We don’t have a big staff; it’s five to six of us. We come together and make it work.”

Brandon Bell said each band staff member at JSU made an impact on him and his fellow band members. They each taught him the power of making decisions under pressure, how to stay calm in the middle of chaos, how to keep his composure and a clear mind, and to never lose sight of what’s important. 

“They were essentially parents for us especially those of us who were eighteen to twenty-one years old—young men and ladies who were navigating life as college students and transitioning into the real world,” Bell said. “My band directors at the time were Dowell Tayler, Dr. Roderick Little, and Lowell Hollinger. They were great role models and different examples of how to essentially survive in the real world.”

Getting Ready on Game Day

Game day for Mississippi HBCUs draws in tens of thousands of locals and fans from across the country each year, ready to see their favorite marching band in action. And before kickoff, the bands work hard to ensure their music, instruments, uniforms, and drills are on point.

“Game day starts early for us. If we have a home game, we normally do an early morning walk-through,” Martin said. “We want to make sure our routines are together, the drill is straight, and the maneuvers are in sync.” 

After the morning check, the students have downtime to eat and get ready. The band members meet back up in the afternoon. Each section has separate meetings and ensures their instruments are cleaned, tuned, and polished. “Each section has their own regimen before we assemble together and warm up,” Martin said. “Once we get together, it’s a pep talk. We’re checking the students, making sure their uniforms are on straight—everybody is locked and loaded. You can see it in the students’ eyes. They’re excited especially if it’s the first home game or a big rivalry game.” 

The bands are often met with cheering fans from the time they walk out of the band hall. And the show begins early on as they play and march their way into the stadium. Throughout the game, the band plays a selection of classics and the latest hits, encouraging crowd participation. As soon as the half-time buzzer sounds, the announcer introduces the band with all the fanfare and the buildup one would expect. The drum majors lead the way, high-stepping down the field, the dancers strut, and the band plays their instruments while marching onto the field.

Leaving It All on the Field with Unique, Precision Drills

Brandon Bell said among the most important pieces of advice he received was to always perform like it was his last time and put it all out there. And as a fan, Rita Brent has always noticed these efforts on the field. “HBCU bands don’t just simply play, they PERFORM. It’s the same for me as a multi-hyphenate performing artist, whether I am singing, drumming, or joking, I understand the reward of putting on a show, giving people their money’s worth,” Brent said. “People look forward to HBCU performances. It’s escape. It’s nostalgia. It’s joyous…showmanship matters!” 

One of the biggest draws for fans is crowd participation, where they get to cheer, chant, dance, and sing along while the band plays. Other draws for the crowds include auxiliary sections and precise drills. “We [Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite] try to pride ourselves in being one of the better drilling bands in all of HBCUs. That’s one of our trademarks,” Martin said. “We can drill with the best of them.”

HBCU drills are crucial in demonstrating Black expression, joy, cultural identity, legacy, resilience, and strength at HBCUs despite centuries of challenges. A fusion of dance, music, styles, elaborate routines, and creativity, drills represent historical continuity of the rich traditions that began in the 19th century when the first HBCU band was created at the Tuskegee Normal School (now Tuskegee University) in neighboring Alabama 7 . HBCU drills are a celebration of Black culture and pride and serve as a means of social and political expression, inspiring unity among a long-oppressed race and empowering future generations. 

Martin said that his team has a system of teaching drills that the students learn and process. It helps them perform well and excel when it comes to field presentation. In HBCU marching bands, field presentation is a mixture of executing several elements, such as marching precisely as one unit, blending instruments as one sound, music selection, dance and choreography, showmanship, pageantry, crowd engagement, and formations. 

Some of the standard formations by the Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite typically include spelling out ASU, Alcorn, or the university’s founding date: 1871. The band also forms nice geometric shapes such as parallelograms, Xs, and diamonds. “The crowd loves it. They go wild for it,” Martin said.

Brandon Bell added that crowds know that HBCU bands are always going to bring their best energy at every event. “We always perform a new field show every game, so the crowds get something new that they did not get the past Saturday,” he said. 

In addition to college football games, Mississippi HBCU bands perform at many events including NFL games, parades, battle of the bands, awards shows, and high school programs. To name a few, Valley’s Mean Green Marching Machine has performed at U.S. presidential inaugurations, the Indianapolis 500, and Tournament of Roses Parades. 8 JSU’s Sonic Boom of the South performed at the 2024 Super Bowl with R&B sensation Usher and recently performed in the 2025 Tournament of Roses Parade. Alcorn’s Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite performed in the 2024 Krewe of Endymion Parade in New Orleans and is one of nine U.S. bands selected to perform at the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade 9 . Each of these three bands are steadily growing and their impact remains evident within the state and beyond.

The Future of HBCU Bands Across the State and Beyond

Though these revered band programs continue to achieve great success and produce talented young professionals in their respective careers time and time again, HBCUs have faced and continue to face challenges that threaten their continued presence as staples in Black culture and the academic landscape.

“I look forward to HBCUs receiving more resources, more visibility, and more recognition. It’s already a fight to protect HBCUs. We constantly have to defend their honor and existence,” Rita Brent said. “My hope is that the world will take time to learn more about HBCUs, leading to understanding their value, the global impact they have on the culture, and the lives of band students. Just take a look on social media; the influence is undeniable. Alumni know the value; it’s time for the world to catch up.”

Brandon Bell has seen the impact of HBCU bands in high schools as more and more students are deciding to join HBCU bands and become music educators. He has seen an impact on the West Coast as alumni are now taking musical educator positions across the country and infusing HBCU band culture into their teaching. He was also blown away by HBCU bands’ reach expanding out of the country when he traveled to Nicaragua.

“During my day out, I saw an elementary school having band practice for their country’s national parade, and it was cool to see the influence of marching bands, especially HBCU marching bands, on the national level and their impact on the world,” Bell said.

Mississippi HBCU band culture will continue to make a difference as it creates community, develops talented musicians, entertainers, and educators, and exudes an authentic representation and expression of Black southern culture to others around the globe. 

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