The echoes of history rang through concrete arches as Johnson C. Smith (JCSU) and Morehouse took the field at Harvard Stadium for the inaugural Essence HBCU Kickoff Classic. The 118-year-old arena — often called “America’s Colosseum” — became the unlikely stage for a cultural collision: HBCU football meeting Ivy League tradition in a packed house that felt more like a homecoming than an out-of-conference season opener.
“It really was a great experience for our program to travel to Boston and be a part of the first Essence Classic,” JCSU head coach Maurice Flowers said. “So much history at Harvard University and then no HBCU game in that area for more than 50 years.”
An Atmosphere Like Homecoming
For Flowers and JCSU, the atmosphere at the HBCU Kickoff Classic was unlike anything they’d expected. Fans filtered through the gates in waves, filling the stands with color, sound, and spirit.
“The atmosphere was homecoming-like in some ways,” Flowers explained. “You had to walk through all the vendors to get to the locker room, which could be a distraction. I’m so proud of our team because we leaned on our experience.”
He said one of his favorite parts was watching the stadium gradually come alive. “It was something to watch the stands just continue to fill up,” Flowers said. “By the time we kicked off, the place felt like a true HBCU homecoming.”
The Morehouse band’s booming sound helped set the tone. Fans arrived early and stayed loud, their energy transforming Harvard Yard into something rarely seen in New England — an HBCU game day celebration.
America’s Own Colosseum
Built in 1903, Harvard Stadium is more than just concrete and turf. It was the first large structure in the United States built entirely of reinforced concrete, a groundbreaking innovation at the time. Its horseshoe-shaped design, sweeping arches, and colonnade were modeled after classical Greek and Roman amphitheaters, especially the Roman Colosseum.
“It really felt like gladiators,” Flowers said. “You come underneath the stadium and then out into the field. Just very, very different. And you just know it’s history.”
That classical influence earned the stadium its nickname: America’s Colosseum. On this day, it served as the stage where American history and HBCU culture collided.
Passing It On to the Next Generation
The Essence Classic didn’t just connect past and present — it also lit the spark for the future. On the bottom rows, local youth football players leaned over the concrete walls, waving at Golden Bulls players, asking for gloves, towels, and wristbands. During big plays, they shouted encouragement and celebrated with the sideline as if they were part of the team.
“I couldn’t get on my guys too much because there were so many kids engaging during the game,” Flowers admitted with a smile. “But it was just a great environment. It really helped fuel the whole game.”
Those small exchanges — a wristband tossed to a child, a smile after a touchdown — created lifelong memories for kids in a city far removed from HBCU campuses. In that way, the Essence Classic became more than just a game. It became a living classroom, showing Boston’s next generation the passion and culture of HBCU football.
Culture Meets History
For one afternoon, Harvard’s famed stadium transformed into something uniquely American — a crossroads of history and culture. On one side stood the concrete legacy of Ivy League tradition; on the other, the unmatched energy of HBCU bands, fans, and football. Together, they created a scene few had ever experienced in New England.
As the HBCU Kickoff Classic crowd roared and the game unfolded, Flowers saw it for what it was: a stage not just for his team, but for HBCU culture itself.
“There were so many firsts with this game,” he said. “The build-up had a big-game feel, and I’m just glad we were able to answer the bell.”
And for those who want to relive it, HBCU Gameday was there with cameras rolling — the Essence Classic will be featured in an upcoming episode of Brick x Brick docuseries, bringing the sights, sounds, and atmosphere of America’s Colosseum to life.
The Essence Classic at Harvard was more than a season opener. It was proof of how HBCU football can take root even in places without an HBCU campus, bridging history and culture to create a uniquely American spectacle.