The sound of marching bands, cheering fans, and HBCU pride filled Hard Rock Stadium as the 2026 Orange Blossom Classic brought Florida A&M University and South Carolina State University together for a Labor Day weekend celebration.
The football game served as the centerpiece of a weeklong series of educational, professional, and cultural events. The Classic was created to unite HBCU alumni and supporters while introducing younger generations to the traditions and opportunities connected to historically Black colleges and universities.
Behind the event is Executive Director Kendra N. Bulluck-Major, a South Florida businesswoman who obtained the rights to the Orange Blossom Classic in 2018. Bulluck-Major has more than 18 years of experience in business development, acquisitions and management and is one of the few women to own exclusive rights to a sports property.
Bulluck-Major led the Classic’s return in 2021 after a 43-year pause. The 2026 celebration marked the sixth consecutive year of the revived event, reflecting her continued effort to use sports, education and community engagement to create opportunities for young people.
Her passion for service extends beyond the football field. Bulluck-Major is CEO of Champion Learning Inc. and director of the nonprofit Sisters for Abundant Living Inc. Her work focuses on giving young people access to hands-on programs and a foundation for future success.
The week began with the Orange Blossom Classic Career Fair at the Betty T. Ferguson Recreational Complex in Miami Gardens. The event connected students, graduates and professionals with employers and organizations across several industries.
On Saturday, Sept. 5, the Orange Blossom Classic Cheer and Dance Clinic brought together about 200 school-age cheerleaders. Participants learned routines, practiced alongside other cheerleaders, and experienced the energy and traditions surrounding an HBCU football weekend. The clinic also prepared them for an opportunity to perform during the Classic’s game-day festivities.
The GMCVB Commissioner’s Welcome Reception and Kick-Off Luncheon, presented by FPL, helped launch the Classic weekend at Jungle Island. The gathering featured networking, community conversations and a fireside chat with actress, producer and philanthropist Crystal Renee Hayslett.
Other activities included the sixth annual Denim Party, the HBCU All White Affair and several game-day celebrations. The Tobacco Free Florida Fan Fest, presented by Baptist Health, featured food vendors, interactive activities and live performances by Miami artists Trick Daddy and Trina before kickoff.
Kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium was scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday. Pregame festivities were expected to include flag bearers, a countywide cheer squad and performances of the national anthem and “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by the South Florida Fellowship Super Choir under the direction of Corey Edwards.
Rain and lightning, however, delayed the start of the game by about an hour and 15 minutes. The severe weather forced organizers to cancel the scheduled flag bearer and countywide cheer squad performances, cutting short an opportunity for young participants to take the field as part of the pregame celebration.
Once the weather cleared, the celebration continued inside Hard Rock Stadium with the matchup between FAMU and South Carolina State, along with the traditions, music and school pride that have become central to the Classic. Fans, alumni, families, and students filled the stadium for a celebration of HBCU excellence, sports, and fellowship.
First played in 1933, the Orange Blossom Classic began when J.R.E. Lee Jr., the son of Florida A&M University President J.R.E. Lee, organized a game between FAMU and Howard University. About 2,000 fans attended the inaugural game at a segregated ballpark in Jacksonville, where FAMU defeated Howard 9-0. The event became one of the country’s leading HBCU football classics before ending in 1978.
“During segregation, we could not play at predominantly white institutions, so this was our way of celebrating ourselves,” Bulluck-Major said.
Her words reflect the historical importance of the Classic, which gave Black athletes, students, and communities a space to celebrate their universities during an era when segregation limited where they could compete and gather.
Today, Bulluck-Major’s vision reaches beyond entertainment. The Orange Blossom Classic seeks to increase HBCU visibility, generate tourism, support small businesses, and raise money for education. Since returning in 2021, the event has generated more than $500,000 in scholarships, according to the organization.
For Bulluck-Major, bringing the Classic back has also meant preserving its history while creating experiences for a new generation of students. From the young cheerleaders who participated in Saturday’s clinic to the families who filled Hard Rock Stadium on game day, the weeklong event connected the Classic’s past with the next generation of HBCU supporters.
