Athletics
By Latoya Hentz-Moore
The iconic Jackson State University marching band known as the Sonic Boom of the South and “the summa cum laude of bands” celebrated its 50th anniversary in front of almost 54,000 alumni, students and fans on Oct. 16, 2021. The band performed at the football game that drew record-breaking attendance, making it the largest homecoming crowd in the history of JSU. Roderick Little, Ph.D., director of bands at JSU, described the program with these words: Energetic, life changing and unique. “We have a swagger that other band programs
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by Aron Smith/JSU)
the jacksonian
cannot imitate or emulate,” he said. “Our energy is second to none. “This great legacy certainly did not start with me. A lot of groundwork was laid prior to my tenure by many great men.” In the 1940s, at what was then Jackson College, under the leadership of Frederick D. Hall, the marching band consisted of about 20 members. The band program now has nearly 300 student members. Students recommended the band’s name, Sonic Boom of the South, in 1971. The band’s theme,
“Get Ready,” a Motown favorite, was selected in 1974 and three years later, the tiger run-on entrance was perfected. The marching band has performed in halftime appearances for NFL teams such as the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengal as well as on a television special for Motown’s 30th anniversary and for the 34th NAACP Image Awards. In January 2021, the Sonic Boom of the South entertained during inauguration celebrations for the President Joe Biden and Vice President
