Grambling State University’s World Famed Tiger Marching Band is headed back to Harlem, bringing HBCU vibes and returning to a celebration it helped launch more than half a century ago.
The World Famed will lead the 57th African American Day Parade on Sunday, Sept. 20, marching along Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard in Harlem. The appearance reconnects Grambling State with a tradition dating back to the parade’s inaugural event in 1969.
That year, the Grambling State marching band opened the first African American Day Parade, with political trailblazers Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Shirley Chisholm serving as the first grand marshals.
More than five decades later, a new generation of Grambling musicians will return to the front of the procession.
Grambling State and World Famed celebrate major milestones
The Harlem appearance comes during a significant year for both the university and its celebrated band.
Grambling State is commemorating 125 years of academic excellence in 2026, while the World Famed Tiger Marching Band is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
That convergence of history gives the band’s return to Harlem added significance.
“Grambling State has long understood the power of our traditions to bring people together and carry our story far beyond the boundaries of campus,” Grambling State President Martin Lemelle Jr. said.
Lemelle pointed to the connection between the university’s past and the students who will represent it this fall.
“As we return to Harlem this year, it is especially meaningful to see the World Famed lead a parade that Grambling State helped open more than five decades ago,” he said.
World Famed carries a tradition back to Harlem
Founded in Harlem in 1968, the African American Day Parade held its first procession the following year. The event was created to provide positive representation while celebrating Black culture, heritage, unity and achievement.
Grambling State was there from the beginning.
For Director of Bands Nikole Roebuck, that history makes the 2026 appearance about more than another performance.
“Our students know that when they put on the World Famed uniform, they represent far more than themselves,” Roebuck said.
“To lead the African American Day Parade during our centennial year, knowing that Grambling State musicians were part of this tradition from its beginning, is a tremendous honor.”
The return also continues Grambling State’s recent presence at the parade. Lemelle participated in the 2025 event as one of several HBCU president grand marshals and appeared on the university’s float. He is scheduled to return as a float participant this year while the World Famed leads the procession.
African American Day Parade returns Sept. 20
The 2026 African American Day Parade will take place Sunday, Sept. 20, along Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard.
This year’s theme is “Good Businesses Sustain Our Future,” highlighting the role of Black-owned businesses in creating economic opportunity and strengthening communities.
For Grambling State, however, the trip also represents something of a full-circle moment for the iconic HBCU.
In 1969, Grambling musicians helped introduce the African American Day Parade to Harlem. In 2026, during the university’s 125th anniversary and the World Famed’s 100th anniversary, the band will once again be out front.