Courtesy of Morgan State University
BALTIMORE — In the follow-up to a momentous performance in France as the first-ever HBCU band to participate in the annual D-Day memorial parade, Morgan State University’s Magnificent Marching Machine marching band will add another historic first to its already impressive list of achievements. During a special halftime presentation at Morgan’s 2024 Homecoming football game, the Magnificent Marching Machine, led by Director of Bands Jorim E. Reid Sr., D.M.A., announced before thousands of attendees and supporters that the band has been selected by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association to perform in the 137th Rose Parade in 2026.
Each year, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses selects unique and exceptional bands worldwide to march in the Rose Parade. With Morgan’s selection to participate in this time-honored tradition, the University adds to a legacy and becomes an HBCU band member of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses family. The Association’s volunteer members select participating bands based on various criteria, including musicianship, marching ability, and entertainment or special interest value.
“The selection of Morgan’s Magnificent Marching Machine to participate in the 137th Rose Parade is a major achievement, not just for our band but for the entire Morgan community. This historic opportunity allows us to showcase the exceptional talent, energy and spirit of our students on an international stage,” said David K. Wilson, president of Morgan State University. “This is an extraordinary moment of pride for Morgan, and I do not doubt that the world will be as captivated by the Magnificent Marching Machine as we are every time they take the field.”
The Rose Parade is watched by an estimated 50 million people worldwide. It is broadcast in more than 170 countries and has an estimated live audience of 1–1.5 million. In comparison, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade draws a viewing audience of nearly 30 million. The band was selected to lead and perform in the 2019 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, another first for the University. For many marching bands, the goal is to be invited to perform in the “Triple Crown” of parade events, consisting of the Macy’s and Rose Parades and the U.S. Presidential Inaugural Parade. Few HBCU bands achieve the goal of participating in the three high-visibility, exclusive events, and hitting this trifecta has proven even more challenging for HBCUs. Morgan has been selected for two of the three, and this happens to be an election year, with the next Inaugural Parade taking place in January.
“There’s no bigger event in the marching band world than the Rose Parade. When you perform on New Year’s Day, the eyes of the world are watching,” said Dr. Reid. “It is an honor for our university to be invited, and a great opportunity for our students and marching band program to be highlighted globally. We look forward to our turn to participate in what’s known as ‘The Granddaddy of Them All.’”
Dr. Reid is believed to be the first and only band director to take different university bands to participate in the Rose Parade. When he last directed a band in the iconic parade, North Carolina Central University, it was only the seventh HBCU band in Tournament of Roses history to receive the honor.
For its Homecoming halftime performance, the Magnificent Marching Machine wove the Rose Parade announcement into a special performance of hit music from R&B sensation Usher. The band also executed intricate formations on the field, including using band members to form the words “Usher,” “Rose” and “Vote.” Between song renditions, a video message from Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association President Mark Leavens played to announce the selection to Homecoming attendees. The Association will release its official announcement and line-up of invited bands in March 2025.
Each year, approximately 20–25 bands are selected to perform, including a mix of high school, college, and community bands and military and international groups. Since the Tournament of Roses began including bands in its parade lineup in 1890, the tradition has grown to international fame. Over the course of its history, thousands of bands have applied, but only a fraction have been selected, making the acceptance a prestigious achievement.
Annually, only one or two college or university marching bands not associated with the football teams playing in the Rose Bowl are chosen to perform in the Rose Parade. The acceptance rate for college and university bands remains around 10–15% of those who apply.
Since its launch, the Rose Parade has been a New Year’s Day tradition. The parade extends nearly 5½ miles down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, California. It features four types of entries: floral-decorated floats entered by participating corporations, non-profit organizations or municipalities; equestrian units; bands; and Tournament entry vehicles carrying the parade grand marshal, the mayor of Pasadena, the Tournament of Roses president, and other VIPs.
About Morgan
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) HBCU institution offering more than 150 academic degree and certificate programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.