(Photo from Mississippi Valley State University on Facebook, October 19, 2024)
- The HBCU’s 250-member band is actively fundraising to cover the travel and other expenses related to the trip, seeking to raise $350,000.
Mississippi Valley State University’s “Mean Green Marching Machine” Band has been invited to perform in the 60th Presidential Inauguration Parade for incoming President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., on January 20, 2025.
The university, calling it a “once-in-a-lifetime experience” for their students, shared the news on the school’s social media accounts on Thursday.
“This is not just a moment of pride for our university but for the entire state of Mississippi,” said Dr. Jerryl Briggs, President of Mississippi Valley State, in a statement on the invitation. “It is an opportunity to showcase our legacy, celebrate our culture, and invest in the future leaders of our community.”
The HBCU’s 250-member band is actively fundraising to cover the travel and other expenses related to the trip, seeking to raise $350,000.
As the “Mean Green Marching Machine” notes on its GoFundMe page, the band has previously performed at NBA games, the Rose Bowl Parade, New Orleans Mardi Gras parades, the National Showband Battle of the Bands, and other esteemed Battle of the Bands and parades.
Trump has repeatedly touted his support for the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities over the years, saying HBCUs “never had better champions in the White House” during his first term.
President Trump signed what is known as the FUTURE Act into law in 2019. The legislation restored $255 million in annual funding for HBCUs and other institutions that serve minority students. Then in 2020, President Trump signed the HBCU PARTNERS Act requiring select federal agencies to submit plans to make grant programs more accessible to HBCUs.
The Tupelo High School Band made the trip to D.C. in 2017, representing Mississippi in President Trump’s first inauguration parade.
