{"id":203717,"date":"2026-03-24T10:21:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T10:21:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/203717\/"},"modified":"2026-03-24T10:21:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T10:21:12","slug":"florida-am-drum-major-recognized-by-college-football-hall-of-fame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/203717\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida A&M drum major recognized by College Football Hall of Fame"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new College Football Hall of Fame<\/a> exhibit is taking HBCU band culture from the sidelines to center stage, and a HBCU drum major is helping lead the way.<\/p>\n

The College Football Hall of Fame is now recognizing Florida A&M University\u2019s<\/a> first head drum major Oluwamodupe \u201cDupe\u201d Oloyede, with a permanent display.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe worked with FAMU\u2019s Dupe Oloyede and Florida A&M University closely to bring a broader college cultural exhibit experience, groundbreaking football game impact, and her historic inclusion in life into a supporting story,\u201d Yomand Brown, vice president of communications at the College Football Hall of Fame, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

The recognition comes on the heels of a breakthrough year for Oloyede. Earlier this month, she took the Oscars stage as part of a musical performance tied to the film \u201cSinners,\u201d combining a joint HBCU drum major routine with a commemorative drum feature set against a futuristic Afrocentric backdrop in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

It was not her first turn in the spotlight. During the spring, Oloyede brought the house down at a Delta Sigma Theta initiation show<\/a>, performing as a pledged new member while still serving as head drum major\u2014a moment that went viral on social media and further cemented her status as a campus star.<\/p>\n

Her performances with the Marching \u201c100\u201d have drawn millions of views online and generated national coverage, signaling a broader shift in how HBCU band culture is viewed and valued. That shift is now reflected in institutions like the College Football Hall of Fame, where the Drum Major exhibit documents this evolution for fans, students, and future performers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s one thing I believe, it\u2019s that my next step is always about love, not fear,\u201d she told the AJC about her approach to the craft.<\/p>\n

Elevating HBCU band culture<\/p>\n

For many alumni and supporters, the Hall of Fame recognition affirms what HBCU communities have long known about their bands\u2014that they are pillars of campus identity and ambassadors of style, discipline, and tradition.<\/p>\n

Oluwamodupe \u201cDupe\u201d Oloyede\u2019s history-making run as FAMU\u2019s first female head drum major is now being recognized in a College Football Hall of Fame exhibit. pic.twitter.com\/1fhmrBUipL<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 UATL (@itsuatl) March 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The presence of an HBCU drum major in a national exhibit serves as a visual reminder that the culture created in those stands and on those fields belongs in the same conversation as championships and trophies.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in awe. It has been a really great semester for me,\u201d Oloyede said.<\/p>\n