HBCU band

Origins Early American military music recruited large numbers of black musicians. Due to government concerns of a domestic rebellion, they were prohibited from carrying arms and were, therefore, exclusively used as "drummers, fifers, trumpeters, or pioneers”. Ensembles at additional historically black colleges and universities followed. Under the early direction of W.C. Hardy - a former minstrel show musician - Alabama A&M University began performing popular songs of the day in addition to marches, an approach to music selection later popularized among other HBCU and Primarily White Institution (PWI) bands. The earliest incarnation of the modern HBCU style of marching band, in which the distinctive high-stepping style coalesced with popular music and elaborate dance routines by both bandsmen and auxiliaries, has been traced to Florida A&M University in the 1940s. Beginning in 1952, under director Conrad Hutchinson, the Grambling State University band cultivated a reputation for extravagant performances that was soon emulated by bands at most other HBCUs. In 1955, the marching band of Tennessee State University became the first HBCU band to appear on national television during their performance at a Chicago Bears NFL game. Some high schools, principally in the American South, have adopted the HBCU style, including Jefferson Davis High School of Montgomery, Alabama, Jefferson County High School (Georgia) in Louisville, Georgia and Southwest DeKalb High School in Decatur, Georgia. ==Characteristics==

Drum majors in 2020. marching band pictured in 2019. in 2023 Drum majors in HBCU bands fill a different role than those of other marching bands which use the position to control tempo and impart field direction. The role of HBCU drum majors evolved from that of leaders of bands in black minstrel parades who were performers themselves. Instrumentation Many HBCU bands feature an instrumentation that privileges brass instruments to maximize sound and create a "brighter" musical tone. Snare drummers typically use a traditional, military-style sling drum instead of the harness drum typical of contemporary American marching bands. During field shows, HBCU bands perform geometric maneuvers featuring straight lines based on the four-person squad system of drill influenced by former Purdue University band director Bill Moffit's text Patterns in Motion. Terminology HBCU bands employ a distinct nomenclature. Performances are called battles, while the energetic participation or approval of the crowd is known as house and ensembles attempt to "win house". Performing a "punch" is called throwing, as in "throwing a punch". ==Events==

The Honda Battle of the Bands is a popular annual, invitational exhibition of HBCU bands that occurs each winter. Since its inception in 2019, the National Battle of the Bands in Houston, Texas has been one of the most attended annual HBCU marching band showcases in the nation. Over 40,000 are in attendance each year to see 6-8 HBCU marching bands perform in NRG Stadium every August. ==Sociological and pedagogical aspects of HBCU bands==

Academics and personal development Negative aspects Graduation rates among members of HBCU marching bands tend to lag behind those of the general population of the institutions. Positive aspects Research by Henry Taylor Frierson concluded that HBCU marching bands represent an ideal institution for development of black male youth by supporting positive identity formation and a customized support structure. Meanwhile, 83.9-percent stated their feeling that most people attended HBCU football games only to see the marching band perform. Gender roles The position of drum major at HBCUs has traditionally been dominated by men. In 2018, the first female drum major at Florida A&M University was selected in that band's 72-year history. Hazing Several sources have reported on endemic hazing within HBCU bands. In 2011, NPR reported that – at one school – new members "had to face choreographed assaults, with two-by-fours, belts, baseball bats ... suffering literally hundreds of blows from their older compatriots". A limited survey conducted in 2013 by Bruce Allen Carter of the National Council on the Arts found that gay males who were members of an HBCU band experienced "ever-present anxiety" when participating in band-related activities. Each survey participant also reported being subject to hazing that was so "shameful and embarrassing" that it was "not something they ever discussed". Racial issues HBCU bands tend to be predominantly African-American, though occasionally persons of other races have been members. According to a 2012 study, white students attending an HBCU generally avoided social activities and focused on academics, however, if they were a member of the school's band they "appeared to develop strong relationships with their peers" within the ensemble. In 2001, Matt Smith became the first white drum major at Hampton University. According to Smith, some opposing schools would use Smith's race to demean the group as a whole. From 2018 to 2020, Justin Heideman, who is white, was head drum major of the Jefferson Davis High School (Montgomery, Alabama) marching band, an HBCU-style high school band. In the second year of Heideman's tenure, after video of one of the band's performances was posted online, Heideman encountered – according to USA Today – "hate, ignorance and prejudice" in a minority of online comments to the video, with some suggesting "there was something heinous about a group of black children following the lead of a white boy". ==In popular culture==

• The 2002 comedy film Drumline chronicled the story of students in a HBCU band. A television sequel, Drumline: A New Beat premiered on VH1 in 2014. • In 2017 ESPN launched ESPN/The Undefeated HBCU Band Rankings "to identify the top bands from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)". ==See also==