Celebrating Legacy And Making Impact: The HBCU Orange Blossom Classic Is More Than Just A Football Game

When the Orange Blossom Classic was founded 91 years ago by the son of Florida A&M University (FAMU) president J.R.E. Lee Jr., it was one of the premiere events of the season for the HBCU community for several decades. After being discontinued in 1978, the Orange Blossom Classic was revived in 2021. This year, the big game will be played between the Alabama State University Hornets and the North Carolina Central University Eagles.

The inaugural Orange Blossom Classic (the Classic) game “welcomed 2,000 fans to the ‘Blacks-only’ ballpark in Jacksonville, Florida, where FAMU beat Howard 9-0 and successfully established the foundation of HBCU classics.” Over the next 13 years, the football game was hosted in various Florida cities before finding its forever home in Miami, and that 1947 game shattered racial barriers. “For the first time, Black fans were permitted in the main stands of the Orange Bowl.”

“When a Florida A&M Rattler receiver named Nathaniel ‘Traz’ Powell caught a 45-yard pass to break a tie with Hampton Institute, he became the first black man to score a touchdown on the Orange Bowl’s previously whites-only gridiron…For years to come, blacks around the state would speak about his touchdown as if he’d been Rosa Parks refusing to surrender her seat,” wrote Samuel G. Freedman in the American Way.

Over the course of its evolution, the game became an HBCU staple with some even calling it the Black Football National Championship. But a differentiating factor of the Classic has always been its community initiatives, including scholarship awards.

“Scholarship dollars play a pivotal role in supporting the next generation by giving them access to higher education opportunities they might not have otherwise. We have raised over $400,000 through the Orange Blossom Classic, directly impacting aspiring HBCU students,” Kendra Bulluck-Major, Executive Director of the Orange Blossom Classic told ESSENCE.

“These funds not only make education accessible but also expose students to the rich legacy and culture of HBCUs. Investing in these young minds fosters future leaders and ensures that the legacy of HBCUs continues to thrive and inspire,” continued Bulluck-Major. “It’s more than financial support; it’s about creating pathways to success and unity within our communities.”

For Willayja Williams, a rising pre-law sophomore at FAMU, “The Orange Blossom Classic scholarship has been impactful in my life. The scholarship has allowed me to focus on my education and civic opportunities instead of worrying about finances not covered by federal funding.”

Jayla Dorsett echoed Williams’ sentiments, telling ESSENCE, “I am a freshman at Clark Atlanta University majoring in criminal Justice where I will be for the next four years. This scholarship has helped me in so many different ways. It has helped me with tuition, books, classes, and has cut down costs for my parents. This scholarship has also given me the opportunity to have an easier freshman year experience being that I had no financial worries.”

The scholarships are presented at the Orange Blossom Classic during the pre-game festivities, and all high school seniors in the South Florida region who have been accepted to an accredited HBCU are eligible. Last year $35,000 in scholarship funds were awarded a prepaid scholarship in the amount of $1,500 that students were able to use toward their post-secondary education.

Since its return in 2021, the Classic continues to raise awareness about the importance of HBCUs to the Black community. It remains a pinnacle event that brings together alumni, bands, football teams and university leaders to the national stage. Ultimately, the Classic is more than a game, it is a tribute to the legacy and history of the Black college experience.