Fresh off this weekends performance at the Pepsi National Battle of the Bands in Houston, Texas, the FAMU Marching 100 electrified the audiences at 2025 U.S. Open in Queens, NY, on Wednesday, delivering a show-stopping tribute to tennis pioneer and FAMU alumna Althea Gibson during the tournament’s annual HBCU Live celebration. Marking the 75th anniversary of Gibson’s historic Grand Slam breakthrough, the band’s performances underscored her enduring impact on sports and civil rights while spotlighting the cultural vibrancy of historically Black colleges and universities.
A stadium tribute to a trailblazer
At 6:50 pm the Marching 100 took to Center Court in Arthur Ashe Stadium, to honor Gibson—the first Black athlete to win a major tennis title—with a high-energy routine blending FAMU’s signature precision with nods to her legacy. Earlier in the day, the band energized the “HBCU Yard Experience” at Fountain Plaza, a festive showcase of Black college culture featuring DJ sets by FAMU alumni, Southern cuisine, and a procession led by Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede, the Marching 100’s first female head drum major.
The Marching 100 made history, also, as the first collegiate marching band to play at the U.S. Open.
“Althea Gibson didn’t just break barriers; she rewrote the rules for generations,” said Marisa Grimes, the U.S. Tennis Association’s chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer. “As a proud FAMU graduate, her story is inseparable from HBCUs. Having the Marching 100 here—a global symbol of excellence—amplifies her legacy in the very arena where she once made history.”
Celebrating HBCU culture and progress
Now in its fifth year, the U.S. Open’s HBCU Live event fused sports, music, and education. The Yard Experience drew crowds with its vibrant “yard party” atmosphere, while the Equity Talk panel, Althea’s Legacy: Celebrating a New Era in Black Tennis, convened trailblazers like 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens, renowned tennis coach Kamau Murray (a FAMU alumnus) , and actor Boris Kodjoe. Moderated by ESPN’s Monica McNutt, the discussion highlighted Gibson’s influence on today’s Black athletes and the rising visibility of HBCU talent.
Scholarship expansion continues Gibson’s Mission
The USTA also announced a major expansion of its Althea Gibson HBCU Scholarship Program, which will award $20,000 to two students enrolled at HBCUs. Applications open September 26, 2025, with recipients selected in early 2026. “Althea’s fight for access to education and sport isn’t over,” said Grimes. “This scholarship ensures her courage continues to open doors.”
For FAMU, the spotlight reinforced its dual role as a guardian of Black history and a incubator of innovation. “When the Marching 100 takes the stage, they carry the spirit of every HBCU student who’s dared to dream bigger,” said Shelby Chipman, Director of the FAMU Marching 100. “Althea’s legacy isn’t just remembered here—it’s alive, it’s loud, and it’s unstoppable.”
As the final notes of the Marching 100’s performance faded, the message was clear: Seventy-five years after Gibson’s triumph, her legacy still swings for the fences.