By Danielle Nottingham
There’s something about an HBCU marching band that can stop you in your tracks.
Now, that experience is being celebrated at the College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta through an exhibit showcasing the artistry and tradition behind some of the nation’s most celebrated HBCU marching bands.
The “Battle of the Bands” exhibit features 44 canvas pieces inspired by 15 HBCU marching bands, capturing the color, movement and personality of drum majors, majorettes and musicians.
For visitors like Latasha and Isaiah Jackson, the exhibit offers a chance to experience a part of college football culture that extends far beyond the field.
“It tells the whole story behind the sport itself,” Isaiah Jackson said. “It’s not just the football team, but it’s the band as well. It’s a concerted effort in bringing fans and support to the game itself.”
The couple, who are college football fans from Florida, discovered the exhibit during a visit to the Hall of Fame and even had the opportunity to meet artist Keith Duncan. For Latasha Jackson, the experience created an unexpected connection to HBCU culture.
“It’s a great sense of pride,” she said. “I myself personally did not go to an HBCU, but this experience really makes you feel as though you really did.”
Duncan, whose work makes up the exhibit, said his inspiration dates back to his time as a student at LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
He remembers visiting nearby Southern University and seeing its Battle of the Bands for the first time.
“That’s when I first saw the Battle of the Bands, and it blew my mind,” Duncan said.
The experience stayed with him and eventually became part of his artistic vision — one focused on Black history, excellence, tradition and legacy.
The paintings bring those themes to life through vibrant portraits of the performers who help make HBCU football Saturdays a cultural experience of their own. But Duncan said the exhibit is about more than celebrating Black history.
“It’s not so much about Black history, it’s about American history,” he said.
The exhibit is on display at the College Football Hall of Fame through May.
