Birmingham Recognizes Retired Judge U.W. Clemon During Annual ‘AWAKEN 2024’
By Barnett Wright | The Birmingham Times
The Lasting Impact of Black Quarterbacks at HBCUs and in the Pros
By Donald Hunt | For The Birmingham Times
When you look at the history of the Black quarterbacks, it’s been a long road to success. For many years, the opportunities for African Americans to play this position were few and far between on the in college and professional football. Through hard work, perseverance and determination the doors started to open for them to occupy the most important position on the field.
In 1920, Fritz Pollard emerged as the first African American field general to play pro football. He played for the Akron Pros of the American Professional Football Association and guided the Pros to the league championship.
Willie Thrower was the first African American quarterback to play in the National Football League. In 1953, he played in one game for the Chicago Bears. In addition, he was the first Black quarterback to play in the Big Ten Conference leading Michigan to a national title in 1952.
The trailblazing efforts of Pollard and Thrower helped to pave the way for others. The same year Thrower made his appearance George Taliaferro became the first Black quarterback to start an NFL game. Taliaferro got his chance playing for the Baltimore Colts.
In 1960, Sandy Stephens guided the University of Minnesota to a national championship and started in the Rose Bowl. In 1966, Jimmy Raye started for Michigan State in the classic 10-10 tie with Notre Dame in the drive for No. 1 ranking in college football.
Marlin Briscoe made a huge mark as a rookie playing quarterback for the Denver Broncos in the American Football League (AFL). In 1968, Briscoe replaced quarterback Steve Tensi and five games and throwing 14 touchdowns.
In spite of the pioneering exploits, there were plenty of sacrifices made by African Americans to be signal callers. Warren Moon led the University of Washington to a 27-22 victory over Michigan to win the Rose Bowl in 1977. Moon was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Although Moon was a major college football standout, he was not selected in the 1978 NFL Draft. To prove that he could perform at the pro level, he went to the Canadian Football League to play for the Edmonton Eskimos. He led Edmonton to five Grey Cup championships.
In 1984, he made his entry to the NFL by signing with the Houston Oilers. He played 17 seasons in the NFL with the Oilers (1984-1993), Minnesota Vikings (1994-1996), Seattle Seahawks (1997-1998) and the Kansas City Chiefs (1999-2000). He was named to nine Pro Bowls. He threw for an amazing 49,325 yards in his NFL career that includes 291 touchdowns. In 2006, Moon became the first Black quarterback inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also enshrined in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Black quarterbacks have made some major strides in the NFL. Today there are 15 starting Black quarterbacks out of 32 teams.
Here is a list of Black college quarterbacks who have made a difference on the gridiron.
Joe “747” Adams, Tennessee State, 1977-80
Tennessee State is well known for producing great quarterbacks like Joe Gilliam and Eldridge Dickey. Adams certainly established himself as a brilliant field general. He put up some big numbers in his college career. He threw for 8,643 yards and 75 TDs in his career. He was picked by the San Francisco 49ers in the 12th round of the NFL draft. Adams played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Toronto Argonauts and Ottawa Rough Riders in the CFL. He was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame this year.
Charlie “Choo Choo” Brackins, 1951-54, Prairie View A&M
Charlie “Choo Choo” Brackins is the first Black college quarterback to play in the NFL. In 1955, he played in a backup role against the Cleveland Browns. Brackins had an outstanding career at Prairie View A&M. He led the school to four consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference championships from 1951-54. He had a 38-4 record as a starter with the Panthers. He was named All-American in 1953 and ’54.
Eldridge Dickey, Tennessee State, 1965-68
Dickey was a three-time Black College All-American. He threw for 6,523 yards and 67 TDs. Dickey was an extremely accurate passer. In 1966, he led the Tigers to their first National Black College Football Championship. This team finished the season undefeated and untied. His nickname was “The Lord’s Prayer.” The Oakland Raiders selected Dickey making him the first Black quarterback chosen in the 1968 NFL/AFL draft. However, he never got a chance to play quarterback with the Raiders. He was converted to a wide receiver and played four years in Oakland. In 2012, he was enshrined in the Black College Football Hall of Fame.
Parnell Dickinson, Mississippi Valley State, 1972-75
Parnell Dickinson led the SWAC in total offense for three years. He was named to the NAIA All-American team in 1972.Dickinson was also a two-time Black College All-American. In 1976, he was picked in the seventh round the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL draft. He played two seasons with the Buccaneers (1976-77). In 2017, he was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame.
Bruce Eugene, Grambling State, 2002-05
Eugene was 6-1 and 270 pounds playing under center and could really move and throw the ball down the field. His size, strength and quickness provided the fans with a lot of excitement. He reminded you of Charles Barkley. He was named the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year twice during his playing days at Grambling State. He finished as the Tigers’ all-time passing career leader and the second all-time passing career leader in the conference. Eugene amassed 13,530 total passing yards, 140 touchdowns, and just 38 interceptions in his college career. Eugene signed a free agent contract with the New Orleans Saints after completing his Grambling State career. The following year, he played pro football in Canada. He also signed a free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Joe Gilliam, Tennessee State, 1967-1971
“Jefferson Street Joe” could really throw the ball down the field and had great presence in the pocket. During his playing days at Tennessee State, he led the Tigers to two straight Black College National titles in 1970 and ’71. He received All-American honors both years. He picked up the nickname “Jefferson Street Joe” because of the boulevard on the TSU campus. He threw for 5,213 yards and 50 touchdowns during his college career. In 1971, Gilliam was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 11th round of the NFL draft. During his time with the Steelers, he started six games posting a 4-1-1 record. In 2013, Gilliam was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame.
Aqeel Glass, Alabama A&M, 2017-21
Glass threw for 12,136 yards, 109 TDs and 41 interceptions in 47 games. He was twice named Black College Player of the Year twice as well as the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year. In 2022, he signed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and played in the team’s minicamp. He later signed with the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League.
Quinn Gray, Florida A&M, 1999-2001
Gray threw for 7,378 yards and 57 TDs in his college career. In 2001, he threw for 407 yards against South Carolina State. That was one of the Rattlers’ top single-game passing performances. Gray led FAMU to four FCS playoff appearances, which included two consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships in 2000 and ’01. In 2002, Gray signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent five years with the Jaguars. He spent one season with the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and the Kansas City Chiefs.
James “Shack” Harris, Grambling State, 1965-68
Harris like Williams and so many other Grambling State players had the benefit of learning the game from legendary head coach Eddie Robinson. Harris had a magnificent career with the Tigers winning four Southwestern Athletic Conference championships and national title in 1967. Harris displayed a strong arm passing for 4,705 yards and 53 TDs. In 1969, Harris was drafted by the Buffalo Bills. Harris played with Buffalo from 1969-72. In 1973, he was picked up by the Los Angeles Rams where he really blossomed into a great quarterback under head coach Chuck Knox. Harris led the Rams to an NFC Western Division crown and became the first Black quarterback to start a conference title game. In 1975, Harris threw two TDs in the fourth quarter and was chosen MVP of the Pro Bowl. He finished his pro career with the San Diego Chargers. His groundbreaking accomplishments helped to elevate status of Black quarterbacks coming into the NFL.
Earl “Air” Harvey, North Carolina Central, 1985-88
Harvey passed for more than 3,000 yards a s freshman at North Carolina Central. He set NCCU, CIAA and Division II marks for passing yards (10,621), career total offense (10,657) and career TD passes (86). Harvey was selected first-team All-CIAA for straight years. In 2020, he was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame.
Tarvaris Jackson, Alabama State, 2003-05
Jackson began his career at the University of Arkansas before transferring to Alabama State and played some big time football for the Hornets. He threw for 7,397 yards and 64 touchdowns during his three years at ASU. His junior year Jackson won the SWAC championship MVP while leading ASU to a 10-win season. As a senior, Jackson had a sensational year throwing for 2,655 yards and 25 TDs. He had just five interceptions that year. He also displayed his running ability gaining 271 yards. In 2006, Jackson was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the NFL draft. He played five seasons with the Vikings (2006-11). After that, he spent one season with the Buffalo Bills (2012) and four seasons (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015) with the Seattle Seahawks. He was the backup quarterback to Russell Wilson on the Seahawks’ Super Bowls XLVIII championship team. Jackson was killed in a car accident in 2020.
Steve McNair, Alcorn State, 1990-92
McNair was one of the top quarterbacks in college football and is the only player in NCAA history to gain more than 16,000 yards (16,823) in total offense during his career. McNair set a collegiate record by averaging 400.55 yards in total offense and became only the third player in Division I-AA (FCS) to throw 100 touchdowns in a career (119). He won the Walter Payton Award (top FCS player) and the Eddie Robinson Trophy (top Black college player). In 1994, he finished third in the Heisman Trophy award. McNair was the third overall selection by the Houston Oilers in the 1995 NFL draft. He played 13 years in the NFL. McNair, a three-time Pro Bowler, was named co-MVP of the NFL with Peyton Manning. He played for the Oilers (1995-96), Tennessee Titans (1997-2004) and Baltimore Ravens (2006-07). McNair threw for 31,304 yards and 174 touchdowns in his NFL career. In 2012, he was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame. In 2020, he was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Shedeur Sanders, Jackson State/Colorado, 2021-22
Sanders played two seasons at Jackson State before heading to the University of Colorado. Sanders played for his dad head coach Deion Sanders with the Tigers. Shedeur and his brother safety Shilo Sanders and wide receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter brought a lot of national attention to Jackson State and HBCU football. Sanders led Jackson State to a 23-3 record in those two seasons. The Tigers won two SWAC titles and played in two Celebration Bowls during that time. In two years, he threw for 6,983 yards and 70 TDs and only 14 interceptions. His ability to stand in the pocket and throw the ball down the field makes him a major NFL prospect. Coach Prime has given him the platform to showcase his talents. Sanders is showing the people in Boulder what the fans in the SWAC saw on a regular basis. And it looks like the overflowing crowds at the Buffaloes’ games have enjoyed watching him. He is currently the fourth leading passer in NCAA Division I football with 2,018 yards with 17 TDs and just four interceptions.
Wille “Satellite” Totten, Mississippi Valley State, 1982-85
In 1984, he and Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice were nothing short of fantastic under the direction of Archie Cooley. Totten received first-team All-American honors while throwing for an incredible 4,557 yards and tossing a record 58 touchdowns that season. The Delta Devils averaged 59 points a game. He set over 50 Division I-AA (FCS) passing marks. Totten is the Division I-AA all-time leader and ranks second in career passing yards with 12,711. He threw 139 TDs in his college career. MVSU was the talk of college football during his career with the team’s offensive explosion. After his playing days with the Delta Devils, he played the Canadian Football League and the Arena League. He also played one season with the Buffalo Bills in 1987. Totten was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame as well as the College Football Hall of Fame.
Jay “Sky” Walker, Howard University, 1992-1993
Jay Walker started his career at Long Beach State, but transferred to Howard University. Walker played just two years with the Bison. His two seasons were very impressive. He received All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference recognition in in 1992 and ’93. In addition, he named the Offensive Player of the Year. Walker guided Howard to an undefeated season in 1993 capturing the MEAC title and the Black College National Championship. During Walker’s college career, he and Steve “Air” McNair were two of the best quarterbacks in the country. Walker is the Bison single season leader in passing yardage with 3,508 and pass completions with 223. In 1994, he was selected by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the NFL draft. He played two seasons with the Patriots prior to playing for the Minnesota Vikings where he played two seasons. Walker is a color analyst for HBCU football on ESPN.
Johnnie Walton, 1965-68, Elizabeth City State
Walton was an All-CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) selection his senior year. He threw for 1,400 yards and 16 TDs while leading the Vikings to an 8-1 slate. Walton was a good pocket passer and could put the ball on the money. In spite of his talents, Walton was not selected in the 1969 NFL draft. Walton played in the Continental Football League, World Football League and the United States Football League. He played well in each league. He won a championship in the CFL. He did sign with the Los Angeles Rams (1969-72). But Walton had a real good run with the Philadelphia Eagles (1976-79). He paved the way for many of the Eagles’ Black quarterbacks — Randall Cunningham, Rodney Peete, Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick and Jalen Hurts. Walton received national exposure for coming off the bench to replace an injured quarterback Ron Jaworski throwing a 29-yard TD pass to wide receiver Charlie Smith to help the Eagles defeat the Dallas Cowboys, 31-21, on Monday Night Football. Walton was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
Ted White, Howard University, 1995-98
1996, White was selected as the MEAAC Offensive Player of the Year while being named first-team Division I-AA (FCS) All-American in 1996 and 1998. He set conference marks for passing yards with 9,808 yards and passing TDs with 92. White played briefly with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs. He also had brief stints in NFL Europe and in the Canadian Football League.
Doug Williams, Grambling State, 1974-77
Williams put together a marvelous performance leading the Washington Redskins (now Washington Commanders) in 1988 to a 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII. Williams became the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl. He not only won the biggest game of the year, but Williams set four Super Bowl records – most yards passing in a game (340), most yards passing in a quarter (228), most touchdown passes (four) and longest completion (80 yards).
Williams, a first-team All-American in 1977, finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting. He was named MVP of the East-West Shrine Game. Grambling State had a 35-5 record as a collegiate standout. During his college career, he passed for 8,411 yards and 93 touchdowns. In 1978, he was a first-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He became the first Black quarterback to have a big impact in the NFL. He played for the Buccaneers from 1978-82, starting 33 of that team’s first 36 NFL victories, and took them to the playoffs in 1979 and 1981.
Updated at 12:34 p.m. on 10/26/2024 to provide correct photo of Johnnie Walton.
More Than Bragging Rights Are on the Line in 83rd Magic City Classic
By Donald Hunt | For The Birmingham Times
The largest Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Classic in the country comes to Birmingham on Saturday, October 26 in the 83rd annual Magic City Classic between Alabama State and Alabama A&M. More than bragging rights will be on the line when these two longtime rivals meet at historic Legion Field Stadium for the 2:30 p.m. kickoff.
The Hornets (2-1, 3-3) and the Bulldogs (1-1, 3-3) are trying to keep pace in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) East. Jackson State (3-0, 5-2) leads the division with Florida A&M (1-1, 3-3) in the mix as well.
Both teams come into the Classic following a bye week.
Alabama State has outstanding linebackers DeMarkus Cunningham and Rico Dozier who can cover a lot of ground. Cunningham has 21 solo tackles and leads the team with 50 total tackles. Dozier has 26 solo and 47 total tackles and also has 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. The Hornets’ playmaking linebackers set the tone for the defense.
AAMU will try to penetrate the ASU defense with its offensive standouts quarterback Xavier Lankford, wide receiver Keenan Hambrick and running back Donovan Eaglin. Lankford had a big game two weeks ago leading AAMU to a 56-12 win over Bethune-Cookman. Lankford completed 15-of-24 passes for 315 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 80 yards on 15 carries while scoring three rushing TDs. He earned SWAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors following that effort against the Wildcats.
Hambrick and Eaglin have consistently put good numbers throughout the season. Hambrick has 21 receptions for 322 yards while averaging 15.3 yards a catch. Eaglin is one of the best running backs in the SWAC with 76 rushing attempts for 435 yards and two TDs. He averages 5.7 yards a carry.
In the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), Miles College (5-2, 5-0) will visit Benedict College (3-4, 3-2) on Saturday, Oct. 26. The kickoff will be 1 p.m. The Golden Bears are coming off a 49-28 shellacking over Clark Atlanta last week. Miles College is in first place in the SIAC standings and currently on a five-game winning streak. Quarterback Khalil Anglin had a great performance against Clark Atlanta completing 12-of-20 passes for 122 yards and two TDs. Anglin could be a player to watch in this contest, which features a passing game that includes wide receivers Jaih Andrews, Jaylin Peterson and tight end Travaunta Abner.
Tuskegee University (4-3, 4-1) will play Central State (1-4, 1-3) on the road on Saturday. The kickoff will be at 1 p.m. The Golden Tigers picked up their fourth consecutive win with a 27-13 over Edward Waters last week. Along with Miles, Tuskegee University is one of the hottest teams in the SIAC. The Golden Tigers have been playing some great football under quarterback Raequan Beal.
Passion for the Percussion: James Phillips Stands Out as Assistant Section Leader at AAMU
By Je’Don Holloway-Talley | For The Birmingham Times
James Phillips received a rude awakening when he arrived at The Marching Maroon and White band camp during his freshman year at Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (AAMU). With years of experience as a standout performer and section leader, the 19-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina, thought band camp in Huntsville, Alabama, would be a breeze.
Simply put, “I had a big head,” Phillips admitted.
“I didn’t think I was going to have this [humbling] experience when I got to college because I felt like I was always better than the [drummers] around me,” he added. “My school didn’t have a lot of percussionists, and I felt like I was always working harder than [my peers].”
When Phillips arrived at AAMU he learned a valuable lesson: “I saw that I wasn’t really working at all,” he said.
Overcoming Adversity
Having played the snare drum since the fourth grade, Phillips was stripped of his beloved instrument during his first week of band camp.
“I didn’t even make the snare line,” he said. “I was playing quints, [a marching drum set of five tenor drums mounted on a single carrier], but by the end of the week, I was able to reaudition for my spot, and I got my snare back.”
Now a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering and taking 16 credit hours this semester, Phillips has come a long way since that rookie week. He is now assistant section leader of the drumline — a responsibility rarely entrusted to a second-year member. His journey showcases not only his dedication to the craft but also the trust and respect he has earned among his peers.
The 83rd annual McDonald’s Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola will be played between the Bulldogs of AAMU and the Hornets of Alabama State University (ASU) at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 26, at Birmingham’s historic Legion Field—and The Marching Maroon and White are preparing for an intense battle against their rival, The Mighty Marching Hornets.
“ASU is our rival, and there’s something more exciting about playing against them because you know they’re going to give everything they have, so you have to do the same,” Phillips said. “While we are a full-out band and will always play to the best of our abilities, when it’s your rival, you have something extra to give. The exchange between the band and drumline goes crazy.”
Phillips credits much of his success to his older brother, Myles Sewell, who was a member of The Marching Maroon and White from 2018 to 2023.
“I had the opportunity to march with him for one year, in 2023,” said Phillips. “He was ready to put his hanger up but stuck it out one more year and waited for me. We were on the same snare line, and he watched me face a lot of adversity. He told me that just because he was my older brother didn’t mean I was going to walk in here and have everything handed to me.”
Discovering A Passion
Phillips began playing the snare drum in fourth grade, after failing to make the basketball team. Encouraged by his father, James Phillips Sr., to try something new, he discovered his passion for percussion.
“My dad was big on trying something new, and he said I had to do something extracurricular. My brother/best friend, Myles, and my sister, Caitlyn, [who was part of the color guard, a group of performers who dance and spin equipment to add visual appeal to a marching band show], were in the middle school band, so I figured I’d try it,” Phillips said.
“Of all the instruments I saw in that band room, I already knew I wanted to be on the drumline. Myles had introduced me to the snare, and the drumline is the cream of the crop. I love that the creativity with the snare never ends. Different playing styles add to the art of playing percussion, and I tend to add my own sauce and personality to it.”
By sixth grade, Phillips made history as the youngest member to join the marching band at Julius L. Chambers High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. His journey continued when he stepped into the role of section leader on the drumline during his freshman year of high school. Additionally, he joined Drills of Hope, a community drumline founded by a local percussionist dedicated to nurturing young talent in the area.
“It was to help the local upcoming percussionists get a breath of fresh air to expand their palette and think outside the box,” he said. “Being on that drumline taught me confidence. It showed me that I could lead on my own and know what to do and when to do it. It built my confidence as a percussionist.”
Leading The Charge
That confidence is crucial for the sophomore.
“I’m the person that counts it off. The count-off indicates what cadence, [musical arrangement for percussionists that is usually played to maintain the correct rhythm in a marching band], is being tapped off, and I have every sub-section leader looking at me for guidance on what we’re about to play while counting songs in the stands at the games,” Phillips explained. “The whole drumline, [which consists of 28], pays attention to me.”
As the assistant percussion section leader, Phillips describes his leadership style as “laid back,” but he maintains high expectations.
“You have to hold everyone accountable, even your leaders. If you don’t hold your fellow leaders accountable, how can the standard grow?” he asked. “I’m big on communication and knowing what style of communication someone needs to pull out the best in them. I’ve seen in previous years, from high school through college, that section leaders tended to fuss a lot.
“I always thought there was a better way to do it. It’s a come-together moment versus an attack. Being calm rubs off on the people you’re teaching and builds a relaxed environment, which is way better to learn in than a hostile one.”
Phillips leads daily rehearsals for the snare drum section. “We practice every day from noon to 2 p.m., and again from 4 to 9 p.m. with the entire band. We focus mostly on confidence and skill,” he said. “Marching in a historically Black college and university (HBCU) band, your confidence is everything. We compete against other bands and drumlines, so I need my line to be confident in their skills and abilities.”
One of the fun parts of being a leader is seeing his line grow, Phillips said: “Watching someone better themselves, become more confident, and achieve the goals they set before coming to [AAMU] gives me joy. It’s great to see someone find their passion and get creative. … It’s fun collaborating on that.”
Looking ahead, Phillips plans to step away from the drumline after he graduates from AAMU.
“I’ll always love it, but I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I want to focus on my other interests,” he said. “I could be interested in teaching drumline in college.”
Phillips sees himself in Dallas, Texas, after college to be closer to other family members and for a change of scenery. “I want to work behind the scenes in construction engineering and oversee maintenance on construction sites,” he said.
The assistant percussion section leader understands that the lessons learned in the band extend well beyond music.
“This is the best life experience, and I know it will benefit me in whatever I decide to do. Band is the best example I have of real life outside of school. It’s continuously shaping me and proving to me all the things I can accomplish,” he said. “It’s taught me that you achieve larger goals by tackling the smaller ones, which has helped me realize that nothing is too big or unachievable.”
The 83rd annual McDonald’s Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola will be played between the Bulldogs of Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University and the Hornets of Alabama State University at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 26, 2024, at Birmingham’s legendary Legion Field. Details about road closings, accessible parking, shuttle services, and much more are available at magiccityclassic.com.
Cameron Clark Does Ramsay High School Proud as ASU’s Assistant Percussion Section Leader
By Solomon Crenshaw Jr. | For The Birmingham Times
Cameron Clark began playing drums at age 4, but he remembers tuning up even before that young age.
“I’d be using pencils and pens on cans or anything around the house,” the Alabama State University (ASU) sophomore and Ramsay High School graduate recalled. “That’s what my mother and grandmother would always tell me. I’d always be tapping and beating on something.”
The 2022 Birmingham City Schools alumnus easily remembers his mother and grandmother calling out to him: “‘Boy, you’re always beating on something,’” he recounted. “Stop that or go hit on a pillow or something. You’re too loud.’”
And, Clark said, they weren’t exaggerating. “When I tell you I was always beating on something, I was always beating on something,” he said. “I’d grab anything. It didn’t matter what it was. If I had pencils, pens in my hands, straws, forks, spoons, all that.”
Nowadays, Clark uses drumsticks — and the beating he does is more than welcome. Despite only being a sophomore on the Montgomery, Alabama, campus, he is the assistant percussion section leader of The Mighty Marching Hornets.
Clark will be pounding away on his snare drum on Oct. 26, as the Hornets of ASU square off against the Bulldogs of Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (AAMU) in Birmingham’s historic Legion Field at the 83rd annual McDonald’s Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola. The 2:30 p.m. kickoff is the main event of nearly a week of events surrounding the gridiron clash of the state’s largest historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
“It’s always the biggest game of the year for us, the biggest game besides Homecoming,” Clark said of the Classic. “The preparation is a lot, and yet to be at home in Birmingham and performing before family and friends is also a good experience.”
“[AAMU] is always a great competition,” he continued. “Every year, we’re at practice for numerous hours. It’s the game to look for, the biggest classic of all the HBCU classics. It’s exciting. … The Classic is one of those games where you’ve got to lock in. You’ve got to lock in at practice. You’ve got to lock in at the game. No mess ups.”
“Drumline”
Clark is uncertain about what set him on a path toward percussion. He credits his grandmother, Sherrie McCoy Jones, who passed away on September 15 of this year, for being a huge inspiration. And then there was the 2002 movie “Drumline,” starring rapper, actor, and comedian Nick Cannon.
“My parents, both my mom and my dad, [Nichole and Carlos Clark], let me watch it. Then, I had a passion for playing drums [at age 4],” the assistant percussion section leader remembered. “I literally learned the whole movie, beat for beat, at one point. I would watch the movie and play along.”
One thing that made Clark similar to Devon Miles, the character Cannon portrayed in the film, was that Clark could play by ear but couldn’t read music. But he doesn’t let his life imitate that fiction.
“When I transferred middle schools, [from W.J. Christian School], and went to the Alabama School of Fine Arts [ASFA], I was blessed with learning how to read music,” he said. “Kim Scott, a well-known jazz performing artist now, was the head of the music department when I was there. My drum instructor was David Smith. [While being there], I was able to progress and learn to read music.”
Clark also drew inspiration from Anthony Williams, the drummer at his church, Mount Hebron Missionary Baptist Church Thomas. Williams took him under his wing, with Clark sitting nearby as Williams played during services and eventually being a substitute drummer when Williams was out of town.
At ASFA, Clark was fully immersed in percussion, studying all forms of music, not just marching band. “I had recitals,” he said. “I learned to play the xylophone, basically every percussion instrument” which was among the keys to him becoming an ASU section leader.
Dr. James Oliver, the longtime band director at ASU, said section leaders are selected by showing leadership skills and communication skills. The leader of the section had to display proficiency in playing “all” percussion instruments.
“Musicality”
The ASU percussionist said his parents picked up his “musicality” early. “They started to really push it,” Clark said. “That’s when I started receiving drum lessons and being a part of little community drumlines.”
Among those was Freestyle Percussion in Birmingham’s Roebuck neighborhood, founded by Christopher Seltzer.
“When [Clark] first started taking lessons, he was still learning but very excited about everything that I taught him,” Seltzer said. “It didn’t take him long to mature into a drummer and percussionist. He took private lessons from me. As a matter of fact, I helped him prepare to get into [ASFA].”
Clark had been a student at and in the pep band of W.J. Christian School when he was in the sixth grade. His admission to ASFA was a “serious turn” in his development.
“It’s the School of Fine Arts,” he said. “That’s straight-up what they do at that school. My 10th grade year is when I transferred to Ramsay [High School].”
Clark’s work with Freestyle Percussion earned him a slot in the organization’s competitive drumline, the Freestyle Allstars, where he played quads, a marching drum set of four tenor drums mounted on a single carrier.
“Each instrument has its own level of challenge to it,” Seltzer explained. “When you’re playing quads, you’ve got four different drums and you have to remember the parts for each drum, for each cadence, for each song. There is a level of difficulty to it. I wouldn’t say it’s more difficult than any other drum but it does take some discipline to play it.”
(Cadences are musical arrangements for percussionists that are usually played to maintain the correct rhythm in a marching band.)
The Freestyle Percussion website lists discipline, confidence, commitment, and excellence as traits Seltzer and others at the organization hope to teach—and Clark exudes those traits.
“He practiced all the time. He always wanted to get better,” the group founder said. “He was disciplined in that he practiced to get better on a weekly basis. As he got better, his confidence grew [and] he became one of the leaders with the Freestyle Allstars.”
Committed
Seltzer said the ASU band member was committed. “I didn’t have a problem with [Clark] being there,” he said. “I knew he was coming. And his spirit of excellence shows now that he’s an assistant section leader at [ASU] in his sophomore year, which is hard to do.”
Coincidentally, Seltzer is a product of rival AAMU, and he admits that he tried to convince Clark to go north to Huntsville, Alabama, rather than south, to Montgomery, Alabama.
“But at the end of the day, we just want the student to get a scholarship, whether it’s [AAMU, ASU], Miles [College], Tuskegee [University, or] the University of Alabama,” he said. “It doesn’t matter. First, we want them to go where they want to go so they can be confident about where they are. Secondly, we want to prepare them to get a scholarship at any school.”
As always, Seltzer will be in the stands for the Magic City Classic on October 26, but he has room in his heart to extend his cheers.
“Ironically, I think I have half and half at each school,” he said. “I’ve got two or three that I’ve taught at [ASU], and I’ve got about the same at [AAMU]. Of course, my school is [AAMU]; that’s where I paid my money and where my degree comes from. I’ll be cheering on my students, as well, from [ASU].”
As for Clark, beyond being into music, he’s always been into numbers and math. Toward that end, he’s studying accounting and hopes to earn a graduate degree in business marketing and finance.
The 83rd annual McDonald’s Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola will be played between the Bulldogs of Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University and the Hornets of Alabama State University at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 26, at Birmingham’s legendary Legion Field. Details about road closings, accessible parking, shuttle services, and much more are available at magiccityclassic.com.
Marcus Christian Joins the ‘Everyday’ Fight Against Breast Cancer
By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
Looking back, Marcus Christian can be honest with himself when it came to breast cancer. “I wasn’t serious,” he said.
His mother, Carolyn Christian, had her first battle with the deadly disease at age 21. “She fought it, and she won that battle. Ten years later, I was born,” said Marcus, CEO of Everyday Pink, a breast cancer awareness brand.
Shortly after he graduated from Huffman High School in 2003, his mother was diagnosed again. This time, the cancer was a little more aggressive than before. That same year, she would pass away at the age of 54.
“God blessed me with having her to raise me all those years,” Christian said. “I thank God for that time with her because He led her through her fight when she was 21. She was able to raise me and to see me graduate from high school, and then she went on home. Her assignment was over.”
Christian attended Alabama State University (ASU), in Montgomery, Alabama, after high school, and his life wasn’t focused, he said.
“I didn’t take breast cancer seriously at that time. I didn’t take [my mother] being sick seriously,” he said. “I never really saw her sick until that time. My family members and my sister, [LaTonya Anderson], were calling and telling me, ‘She’s not doing well.’ I never wanted to go home. I never took it seriously, and that really haunted me. I didn’t take it seriously until she was in the hospital. I went to visit her, and she told me herself that [her situation with cancer] wasn’t good. She had that conversation with me, and it broke me down.”
The passing of his mother affected Christian so deeply that he didn’t return to ASU to finish his degree: “I was so messed up mentally because I wasn’t there the way I should’ve been,” he said.
Knowing about the seriousness of the disease, Christian said he wanted to do something to raise awareness about breast cancer but didn’t know how.
“I would always go to the [breast cancer awareness] walks that were held downtown {Birmingham] and try to help people who had different foundations dedicated to the cause, but I didn’t know how to do it myself,” he said.
After the death of his father, Howard Christian, in 2018 from lung cancer, Christian said he felt like he had a “personal problem with cancer,” having lost both of his parents to the disease.
“I Had to Do Something”
He then came up with a plan. Christian combined his love for fashion with his passion to fight cancer.
“I had to do something,” he said. “I always felt like I had a gift of dressing and putting outfits together, so I told myself, ‘Let me try to do something different.’ Every time I saw a shirt, it was plain, it was basic. I started playing around with Everything Pink in 2021, but I got serious about the brand just this year. Everything Pink is a very small business, but the goal is to elevate as much as I can to help as many people as I can.”
Born and raised in Birmingham, Christian grew up in the Avondale and Woodlawn areas alongside his older sister. He attended Gibson Elementary School and Hayes Middle School.
Today, Christian, 40, is responsible for all things Everyday Pink. “[The name] comes from my feeling that breast cancer awareness should be a daily expression. I wanted a name that embodies that message. People battle breast cancer daily, not just in October, so why not bring awareness and the needing of more research daily?” Christian said.
“I do everything myself,” he added, speaking about the company. “I design everything. I pick the sizes and the material I want to use. Everything as far as the embroidery and the printing, I come up with all of that. I found my manufacturers myself; there are three that I use. I send them my designs, and they bring them to life.”
Prior to creating Everyday Pink, Christian worked for 18 years as a production associate for Honda Motor Company.
“Toward the last five years, it just wasn’t fulfilling because I always had it in my mind that I wanted to do something else that would make an impact in some type of way. [Honda] was paying the bills, but it wasn’t fulfilling.”
“Every Little Bit Helps”
Christian hopes to build upon the success of Everyday Pink. “My hope is to one day be able to give back to those effected by breast cancer and be a helping hand in whatever they need,” he said.
About his efforts to raise awareness about breast cancer, Christian said, “I would like people to understand that the fight never ends. [I also would like them to understand that] when someone dies from breast cancer it doesn’t mean they’ve lost the fight, it just means their assignment here was over. So, it’s up to us to keep the fight going.”
He encourages supporters in the battle against cancer to give their time and donations “to the many nonprofits that we have in Birmingham and around the world that are doing major things to advance and elevate the mission.”
“Every little bit helps,” Christian said. “[It’s important to] do self-care work to try and prevent the disease from entering our bodies, starting with our diets, staying hydrated, [reducing] stress. [Also], please stay on top of your mammograms. It’s very important for us to spread the awareness but also do our part on our own health.”
For more information about Everyday Pink, visit the company’s website, everyday-pink.com, Instagram page, @everydaypink_awarness, or TikTok feed, @everydaypink2.
Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond Announces Retirement
By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
How the Magic City Classic Divides – And Unites — Partisan Friends and Families
By Solomon Crenshaw Jr. | For The Birmingham Times
The battle lines are usually well established for the Magic City Classic. Either you bleed black and gold, or maroon and white. Either you swarm with the Hornets or you bark with the Bulldogs.
But there are some people who have lived on the other side. And some of them can seamlessly – or somewhat seamlessly – traverse from the west stands of historic Legion Field to the east stands.
And some are intentionally positioned in the middle.
Here are the stories of some who have spent time on each side of his friendly civil war.
‘You know I went to Alabama A&M, right?’
Huntsville, Alabama, native Jennifer Anderson earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in urban regional planning at Alabama A&M in her hometown and set out to find an employer where she could apply that skill. That employer wound up being rival Alabama State University in Montgomery.
“When I finished my degree in urban planning, I came to Montgomery and I worked as a planner for five years,” she said. “I was asked to come over to Alabama State to serve as a director of development, and then ultimately the executive director of the foundation. I remember when I was asked, I was like, ‘You know I went to Alabama A&M, right?’”
Coincidentally, her office at ASU was in William Hooper Councill Hall, which was named for the former slave who founded Alabama A&M. She came to appreciate ASU in Montgomery.
“I love Alabama State University and I love what it does for our people,” Anderson said. “I think that the stronger A&M is, the stronger ASU is, and the stronger ASU is, the stronger A&M is.”
Anderson was development director at Alabama State for 11 years. In that role, she was responsible for fundraising for ASU, especially surrounding the Magic City Classic.
“That’s a big weekend for us, a big engagement weekend for us,” she recalled. “I went to the Magic City Classic as a Hornet for 11 years, wore black and gold every Classic for 11 years.”
And every year, Alabama State alumni would greet their development director with the request to “let me see.
“I’ll open my jacket or I’ll pull my shawl back and there’ll be an Alabama A&M under my black and gold.”
During her tenure with Alabama State, Anderson would occupy two seats at Legion Field.
“I sat on both sides,” she recalled. “It’s been a joy to be able to love my institution, right, and then be able to serve another institution. I tell people all the time when they give me a hard time, like, ‘You’re a Bulldog.’ I’m like, Alabama A&M trained me to be able to support y’all.”
The former development director said she hit several fundraising goals while I worked for ASU. “We received our first gift of stock while I was there,” she recalled. “I attribute that to the training that I was given at Alabama A&M on working with people and processes.”
Anderson retired from ASU two years ago and began her own company, JSA Consulting. She is also program director for The Alabama Collective, which works with various HBCUs. Since retiring, she’s attended the Classic solely as an Alabama A&M alumna, bearing no outward connection to her former employer.
“Only hugs and smiles and greetings because I still love the alums that I worked with and the administrators I worked with,” she said. “But I will definitely be in maroon and white, top to bottom, because it was always in my spirit.”
But don’t make the mistake of unjustly trashing the Hornets when Anderson’s around.
“If anybody who’s not part of us says something about Alabama State, then I have to have a conversation,” she said. “If they say something negative and they’re not part of the family, that comes out loud.”
I go for A&M every time they’re not playing State’
Lucy Cohen of Hillsboro, Alabama, studied early childhood education at Alabama State started teaching even before graduation. She would follow her Alabama State bachelor’s degree with a master’s from A&M. By then, she and her husband Ronnie had their first child and the Huntsville campus was a much shorter commute.
“Ronnie was (a student) at Alabama A&M. He dropped out of A&M because General Motors came in and they all got jobs,” she said of Ronnie and others in the Lawrence County community. “They didn’t go back to A&M.”
While Ronnie no longer studied at A&M, he remained a fervent fan. Lucy’s allegiance was with Alabama State in Montgomery.
“We would go to one side and then go to the other side,” she said of the Classic. “But all my family members were Alabama A&M fans so they sat on the A&M side. I’d put on my Alabama A&M stuff and go over there and sit down.”
Lucy says she’s loyal to the Bulldogs, most of the time.
“When they’re playing Alabama State, I’m cheering for Alabama State,” she said, laughing at the notion of being in enemy territory. “They get all over me over there but I don’t care. They get all over me on that side.”
‘915 South Jackson Street is always home’
Dawn Sutherlin graduated summa cum laude from Alabama State University in the spring of 1997 with a BS in business administration, majoring in finance. After taking a break working in the private sector, she decided to pursue a graduate degree.
“I chose Alabama A&M University since I was living in the area and my employer offered tuition assistance,” she said.
Taking all evening classes after working 8-hour days and driving her beat-up Mazda 626 back and forth from Decatur to Huntsville more than 30 miles each way was tiresome but well worth it. Her graduate school was different from what she had known as an undergrad.
“Undergrad was where I met lifelong friends and learned to figure things out without my parents’ input,” she said. “The limited days and interaction with other students outside of classes made the experience different from attending ASU. However, I would not trade my experience at AAMU due to the networking opportunities I had. The Office of Career Development always advertised job fairs, resume writing workshops, and internships.”
A classmate told her about a fellowship program with the U.S. Army. Less than a month after graduating with an MBA in 2003, Sutherlin was offered and accepted a job with the Army, where she has worked the past 21 years.
“Magic City Classic is always a great time,” she said. “As my best girlfriend says, it’s her favorite season of the year. I normally sit near the end zone and cheer for ASU. 915 South Jackson Street (the street address of Alabama State) is always home.”
‘Stinging and biting going on’
Birmingham native Erick Wright graduated from Alabama State in journalism and communication in 1980. He would work in sports information at Alabama A&M from 1982 to 1984. Was he conflicted during the Magic City Classic? Not in the least.
“I was once asked by (Huntsville Times reporter) Reggie Benson, ‘Who you cheering for?’” he recalled. “My quote I said to him was, ‘My heart says one thing and my pocket says another.’”
Wright went on to be the sports information director at Alabama State 1984 to 1986. “It’s always good to go back home and be able to make a contribution to your alma mater,” he said. “In this case, I was part of the athletic staff, sports information director, and I worked there for two and a half years.”
Since then, he has started an ASU alumni chapter from scratch in Nashville, Tennessee. He served as his president for four years and eventually I moved to Atlanta and became the president of the Atlanta Metro Alumni Chapter. Wright went on to becoming vice president of the ASU National Alumni Association and then served back-to-back, two-year terms as the president of the national alumni association.
Wright did choose Alabama A&M in one respect as he married 1980 A&M alumna Ethel Brown Wright.
“My wife always likes to tell me that I married up when I married an A&M Bulldog as an ASU Hornet,” he said, choosing to respect her opinion if not outright agreement. “Our slogan around the house is, ‘There’s nothing but some stinging and some biting going on.’”
Alabama A&M’s Zakiah Goodlow, Percussion Section Leader: ‘We Are Here to Annihilate’
By Je’Don Holloway-Talley | For The Birmingham Times
When it comes to this year’s Magic City Classic, Zakiah Goodlow, a junior at Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (AAMU), is all business.
The 20-year-old is the first female band captain and percussion section leader to take the reins under AAMU’s Band Director Carlton Wright since at least 2013. Goodlow is just one of many female band members representing The Marching Maroon and White on a high level.
“Representation plays a huge role because, ever since females have started stepping into leadership roles in the band, we have recruited more females, and they are becoming more passionate and interested in our band culture,” said Goodlow, who plays the tenor drum. “The drumline alone has five females [out of 28 total members], and that’s the most females the section has ever had.”
Ready For Battle
Speaking of her section, Goodlow said every member knows what the percussionists mean to the entire 272-member band.
“When it comes to the band as a whole, the drumline is the easily the heartbeat, the lungs, and the pulse all at the same time,” she said. “There is a lot of power in the drumline.”
The 83rd annual McDonald’s Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola will be played between the Bulldogs of AAMU and the Hornets of Alabama State University (ASU) at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Birmingham’s historic Legion Field Stadium. The fervor for the historic rivalry is equally about the football game and the halftime show—but nothing gets the crowd’s adrenaline pumping quite like the drumline face-off.
For Goodlow, there is no question about who will win the battle of the bands.
“Everyone feels the need to compare us to each other, and every year we have to show that there is no comparison,” she said. “No matter who is across the field from us, we are here to annihilate.”
Goodlow, a multi-instrumentalist who is a formally trained pianist and self-taught drummer, looks forward to the Magic City Classic experience every year.
“Nothing compares to the energy from the fans,” she said. “Marching into the stadium, battling in the zero and fifth quarters — [before the football game begins and after it ends] — performing at halftime. … I am ready to soak it all in and show [ASU] that we are a force to be reckoned with.”
“I Keep It Very Calm”
Goodlow was named band captain and percussion section leader in April: “I was excited, nervous, and honored all at once,” she said.
“Being able to represent [AAMU] and Black girls in general like this means the world,” she added. “I have been in leadership many times throughout my band career but never on as big a stage as the [Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)],” one of the leading collegiate athletic conferences for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
The drummer describes her leadership style as observational and authoritative.
“I observe before I speak or correct anything,” Goodlow said. “I put in a lot of effort to make sure I am communicating effectively so there’s no confusion. I’m authoritative, but I try not to do a lot of yelling because it is not about how loud you say it, it is about what you are saying, so I keep it very calm.”
She also delegates a lot because there are five sub-section leaders: the bass, tenor, and snare drum sections, as well as the quints (a marching drum set of five tenor drums mounted on a single carrier) and the cymbals.
Goodlow explained, “[Each sub-section leader] looks after each specific [instrument] in their section, so I delegate responsibilities to make sure material can be taught and understood faster. I am firm, but I still leave room to have camaraderie with the people in my section.”
“Wanted to Be the First”
Goodlow grew up in Hillsboro, Alabama, (near Decatur, Alabama, and west of Huntsville, Alabama), where she and her older brother, Zachary, were raised by their parents, Kalethia and Ronnie Goodlow.
Zakiah, who joined her first marching band in the sixth grade, discovered her love of music at an early age. At 7 years old, she began taking piano lessons after being inspired by her older brother, who also plays the piano.
“I went to my mom and told her that I wanted to take lessons. A few days later, I went to my first lesson and never looked back,” she said. “I started teaching myself how to play the drums a year later. I wanted to be able to play the drums when my brother was playing the piano. … [Also], because there were no female drummers in my area, I wanted to be the first.”
Goodlow played in “the beginner band” in the fifth grade at East Lawrence Middle School in Trinity, Alabama: “I joined the band because I wanted to know the technical side of playing the drums, and I knew that joining the band would give me an outlet to learn more instruments and help me get better at my God-given talent.”
She fell in love with AAMU’s band during her freshman year of high school. “When I was in high school, I didn’t even know HBCUs existed. Then someone showed me a video of [the AAMU] band playing a stand tune called ‘4, 5, 6,’ [by rap artist Solé], and I instantly fell in love. When I received a full-ride scholarship to AAMU it felt like destiny in a way. … No other bands captivated me like [AAMU’s],” Goodlow said.
She added, “I became the first person in my high school’s band program to be a section leader as a freshman, and I was the only Black person in my high school band for all four years.”
Discipline And Dedication
Balancing her academics and commitments at AAMU requires discipline, said Goodlow, who carries a 3.9 GPA.
“It takes a lot of discipline and strong time management skills,” the percussion section leader said. “I always try to work ahead of the class [syllabus], especially in the fall semester because of the band’s hectic schedule.”
A well-rounded instrumentalist, Goodlow also plays the keyboard, organ, snare, tenor, and bass drum, drum sets (quads and quints), cymbals, marimba (a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets), and the timpani (a set of percussion instruments that are typically played in an orchestra), and she is looking to add more instruments to her repertoire.
“I’m trying to find a way to learn the violin, trombone, and the guitar,” she said.
Future Endeavors
Goodlow’s major is business administration with a concentration in information systems, and her minor is in finance. She has built an impressive academic profile in addition to her extracurricular activities. She is involved in the university’s Finance Club, is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, and serves as an annual youth member of the NAACP.
She already has things in place for her postgraduate future, too. Goodlow plans to aid African Americans in acquiring resources to work their farmland through government-provided programming and funding.
“After I graduate, I will be working for the United States Department of Agriculture [USDA] in the Farm Service Agency. I will be working with the state office in Mongomery, [Alabama], which is a part of my full-ride scholarship [through the USDA 1890 National Scholars Program],” she said
For now, Goodlow is focused on not just school but her section mates. “I want to leave behind a powerful legacy that shows it is possible to be a great scholar and a great bandsman at the same time. I want my legacy to inspire them to not limit themselves to one skill or instrument—be a sponge and learn all you can learn about our craft. Ultimately, try to be an asset to this band program, not a liability. Allow God to open doors for you and be ready to walk through them,” said the AAMU percussion section leader.
The 83rd annual McDonald’s Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola will be played between the Bulldogs of Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University and the Hornets of Alabama State University at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 26, 2024, at Birmingham’s legendary Legion Field. Details about road closings, accessible parking, shuttle services, and more are available at magiccityclassic.com.
Cameron Kirkland, Alabama State Percussion Section Leader: ‘We’ll Set The Standard’
By Solomon Crenshaw Jr. | For The Birmingham Times
As percussion section leader of The Mighty Marching Hornets of Alabama State University (ASU), Cameron Kirkland has a vast number of duties — and one of the most important is harmony.
“My responsibility is to make sure we sound like one,” the 21-year-old senior said. “We have a whole bunch of moving parts with cymbals, snare drums, tenor drums, quads, [a marching drum set of four tenor drums mounted on a single carrier], and bass drums. … My responsibility is to make sure we coexist and intertwine with each other while we play so it doesn’t just sound like a whole bunch of noise.”
The role of the 48-member percussion section is crucial because it sets the rhythm of the 270-member band, the music performance major said. “The drumline, we set the foundation,” Kirkland said.
“We are the heartbeat of the band,” he added. “Without us, there’s no sense of time. We definitely are the foundation of how the band is supposed to sound, what they’re supposed to play, how fast or slow they’re supposed to play.”
On the snare drum, Kirkland will help set the rhythm for ASU as the Hornets face the Bulldogs of Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (AAMU), on Oct. 26, at the 83rd annual McDonald’s Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola.
“As far as preparation, the drumline has to make sure we’re on top of everything with cadence material, how we sound, how we look,” he said. “Obviously, we know [AAMU is] going to come with their A game. We’ve just got to match that energy, be better, and set that standard that we’re still the better percussion section between the two.”
(Cadences are musical arrangements for percussionists that are usually played to maintain the correct rhythm in a marching band.)
The section leader said ASU is coming prepared and the AAMU band can look for some “curveballs,” things the group from Huntsville, Alabama, won’t expect — for example, “some new cadences they’ve never heard before,” said Kirkland.
“At the end of the day, people in the marching band are musicians,” he explained. “You have to play musically with each other and not just be individuals. We’re supposed to play together, not compete. As a drumline, we’re not supposed to compete with the brass or the woodwind or any other instruments in the band. … We’re supposed to play with the band, not against the band.”
“Dramatic Change”
Kirkland says he’s been involved in music practically since birth. “I was raised in the church all my life,” he said. “I started playing drums when I was 3 years old, and I’ve been playing in church ever since then. As far as marching band, I started when I was in the ninth grade.”
But the marching band experience Kirkland had in high school couldn’t be more different from the one at ASU, he said. He is the product of Gahanna Lincoln High School, a predominantly white high school in Columbus, Ohio.
“My high school marching band experience was a more technical, court style. As far as the playing style, the movements were more precise. It wasn’t as aggressive compared to my [historically Black college and university (HBCU)] band career,” he said. “With HBCU marching bands, [the style is] more hard-core, powerful playing. It’s not as technical as a predominantly white marching band. When it comes to the field show, [the field show is] pretty simple, self-explanatory.”
In his high school marching band, there was very little dancing when it came to formations and field shows. Now he’s part of “an entertaining, crowd-pleasing show, marching with The Mighty Marching Hornets,” he said.
It was a “dramatic change” going from his high school band to the ASU band, the percussion section leader said.
“My section leader at the time, [at ASU], was from Ohio, too,” Kirkland said. “He kind of took me under his wing and made sure I was doing everything I needed to do in order to get better every day. I took it upon myself to make sure I was practicing day and night to [develop] the skill set where I’m at now on my instrument.
“I saw videos [of the ASU band performing] prior to making my decision [to attend],” Kirkland said. “It was just their style of play that really caught my eye. I wasn’t fully aware of what I would be putting myself into going from a predominantly white school to an HBCU marching band.”
Kirkland said he was humbled by being named section leader.
“In order to be a good leader, you have to follow first,” he said. “I knew how to follow directions first, and I humbled myself. … With my humbleness, I’m able to lead my section. … I’ll be the first to admit if I’m wrong, and I’ll own up to it.”
The section leader is selected by the band director and his assistant band directors, and he or she must show skills in leadership and communication, as well as demonstrate proficiency in playing all instruments of that section. In this case, every percussion instrument.
Kirkland found out he was selected this summer when he saw his name posted on the band’s app, where all members are able to communicate.
“I was excited and ready for the responsibility,” he said. “I said, ‘OK, I have the position as section leader It’s time to handle business. It’s time to get to work.’”
Family Ties
Kirkland played drums at his Ohio church, New Birth Christian Ministries, and continues to play in church today at Montgomery’s Kingdom Seekers Worship Center. Music came naturally, as his father, Cameron Kirkland Sr., played keyboard and organ after first playing drums in church at a young age.
“I have similar stories as far as that,” the oldest of four siblings said. “My mom, [Ahleeya Nelson Kirkland], sings in church, and she grew up in church, as well.”
His sister, Chyara Kirkland, is a freshman at ASU. She’s part of the Hornets’ street dance team, a pep group that does cheers and chants. “They’re like the student performers in the stands, trying to get the crowd involved,” he said.
Beyond his time at ASU, Kirkland hopes to become a touring professional drummer and a sound engineer. As his time winds down with The Mighty Marching Hornets, Kirkland said he will always be grateful for his growth at the university.
“I had people along the way that really helped me, like the staff, my past section leaders, and people in the percussion section itself,” he said. “They helped mold me into the person I am right now, and I’m appreciative that the staff trusted me with the responsibility to have the title as section leader. It’s mind-boggling to think of how far I’ve come to be in the position I’m in now. It is very humbling, and I’m very blessed.”
The 83rd annual McDonald’s Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola will be played between the Bulldogs of Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University and the Hornets of Alabama State University at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 26, 2024, at Birmingham’s legendary Legion Field. Details about road closings, accessible parking, shuttle services, and much more are available at magiccityclassic.com.
