Langston University

The Langston University Marching Pride Band has once again earned its place on the national stage as it was invited to compete in three “Battle of the Bands” this fall, including the 2025 Pepsi National Battle of the Bands.

The Marching Pride is an elite and celebrated ensemble consistently ranked among the Top 10 HBCU Division II bands, and it will be one of eight Historically Black College or University (HBCU) bands competing in the Pepsi National Battle of the Bands in Houston on Aug. 22-24. This will be their third time participating in the Pepsi National Battle of the Bands; they made their last appearance in 2023.

“The students put in a whole lot of hard work,” said LU’s Director of Bands Dr. Mark Gordon. “From dancing to playing to keeping time, we do stuff that a lot of people can’t do. Not everyone can play the horn and dance and mark time and stay in sync all at the same time.”

The Pepsi National Battle of the Bands was established in 2014 as a celebration of HBCU musical excellence, cultural pride and community engagement. Gordon plans to take between 260-300 students to Houston to compete alongside bands from Alabama A&M University, Albany State University, Florida A&M University, Jackson State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Prairie View A&M University and Texas Southern University.

The Marching Pride will compete against many of these bands again a week later in the HBCU Labor Day Classic Battle of the Bands in Jackson, Mississippi.

Established in 2016, the HBCU Labor Day Classic will bring together the Top 10 HBCU Bands from across the country for an exciting competition that will exhibit the rich traditions of HBCU musical excellence. This year, that lineup will include Langston University, Jackson State University, Alabama A&M University, Alcorn State University, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Southern University, Alabama State University, Grambling State University, Talladega College and Mississippi Valley State University.

Following the Langston University football season opener against Grambling State University in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Aug. 30, the Marching Pride will load their buses and head to Mississippi to compete on Aug. 31. This will be their first time participating in the HBCU Labor Day Classic.

On Sept. 28, the Marching Pride will hit the road again for Wake Up Crank Up, a battle of the bands fundraiser in Dallas, where they will again face Grambling State University, Texas Southern University, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff and Alcorn State University. This fundraiser will feature both collegiate and high school bands.

“These are good experiences for the students,” Gordon said. “It gives them some publicity, and it also gives them a chance to travel and see the world.”

The Marching Pride Band has earned a reputation for excellence with performances on national stages such as the Pepsi National Battle of the Bands, the Honda Battle of the Bands, and multiple NBA halftime shows. The band has also shared the stage with popular performers like David Hollister and Lizzo, and it regularly participates in popular events like New Orleans Mardi Gras parades.

The Marching Pride has experienced exponential growth tied to its national success over the past few years. When Gordon took over as band director in 2019, the band only had 45 students. Now the band has over 300 students from a variety of backgrounds, including dozens of international students who come to Langston University just to participate in the band. The band members are dedicated to their studies, and many of them earn GPAs of 3.0 and above. The band also boasts the second highest retention rate for any student group at the university.

You can learn more about the Marching Pride Band at https://langston.edu/department-of-music/marching-pride and you can donate to band scholarships at https://lufoundation.givingfuel.com/langston-university-annual-giving-campaign.