During Women’s History Month, HBCU Gameday,set out to highlight the legacy of female drum majors across HBCUs. After gathering nearly 40 responses from women who carried the baton for their respective institutions, the result was a powerful three-part series filled with history, pride, and groundbreaking stories.
Shortly after the second installment was published, a message arrived from a passionate Howard University alumna, urging the inclusion of her friend—Dr. Mary Spruce—recognized as Howard’s first female drum major. That connection led to a deeper conversation and the uncovering of a remarkable journey.
Like many of the women featured, Spruce’s path was unique. In addition to her leadership in the band, she also held the distinction of being crowned Miss Howard University. That making her the only drum major in the series to also serve as her institution’s queen.
Spruce immediately caught the eye of the Howard Band staff
“When I came to Howard, I joined the marching band,” Spruce recalled. “Our band director, Mr. William Penn, told me, ‘You just look different marching inside.’ We were the ‘Nifty 50’ then—small in numbers, but mighty empowered. We were musicians, many of us music majors, and others who simply loved the culture and wanted to continue what we started in high school.”
That passion was rooted in her early years at Howard High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where she first experienced the pageantry of HBCU band culture. “Our band was legendary,” she said. “We were the Marching 100, led by Grady Black. During my sophomore year, I was asked to step out and lead alongside my cousin and two other guys. That made me the first female drum major at my high school back in the late ’60s. We patterned ourselves after Florida A&M—so we were like the ‘Baby Rattlers,’ carrying that same style and entertainment value.”
She wanted to be in the FAMU Marching “100”
Spruce’s decision to attend Howard came in an unconventional way—by simply pointing to a map and landing on Washington, D.C. But her choice was also influenced by opportunity. At the time, Florida A&M’s famed Marching “100” did not admit women, closing a door that would ultimately open another.
At Howard, Spruce joined the band. After her freshman year, she made history as the university’s first female drum major—an accomplishment she still holds close.
Following her first year, longtime band director William Penn retired and was succeeded by Richmond Myrick, a Florida A&M alum. “He came from the school I wished I could have attended,” Spruce said. “He brought in experienced musicians from the area and built the band into something special. By the time I graduated, we had grown into the Marching 100.”
Dr. Spruce Continues To Find Inspiration
Today, Spruce finds inspiration in the current generation of female drum majors, particularly Howard’s Alana Howard and Florida A&M’s Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede.
“I feel good because somebody has to start it,” she said. “They’re living in a different time now—one where they have visibility, connection, and platforms we didn’t have. Back then, we were limited in resources and exposure. But we were still strong, still powerful, doing our thing in our own spaces. To have been a trailblazer and open that door—it means everything.”
That sense of pride became especially emotional during a recent Oscars broadcast. “I was watching the performance and didn’t even realize at first that she (Dupe) was there on stage,” Spruce said. “When I went back and saw it, I actually shed a few tears. I thought to myself, ‘My, my, my…we’ve come a long way.’”
Beyond her Howard University band legacy, Spruce also shares a deeper bond with many of today’s leaders through her membership in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., which she joined while at Howard.
“It just did my heart good,” she reflected. “To see these young women leading, excelling, and representing—it’s a full-circle moment.”
