Sunday’s Showcase Will Feature Six Marching Bands With Tickets On Sale at Ticketmaster.com; Hawks Chief HR Executive To Be Recognized With 2023 HBCU Culture Legacy Foundation Honoree Award

ATLANTA –The HBCU Culture Homecoming Fest & Battle of The Bands MLK Weekend Edition presented by HBCU Culture Legacy Foundation501(c)3 will feature the headlining event Battle of the Bands MLK Weekend Edition at the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 15. The mission of HBCU Culture Legacy Foundation 501(c)3 is to deliver real and reliable resources to HBCU institutions and students.

Sunday’s Battle of the Bands MLK Weekend Edition includes six marching bands from various historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) – Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Jackson State University, Miles College, Southern University and Talladega College. HBCU Culture Battle of the Bands attracts sought-after band performers and HBCU alumni and supporters from across the nation. The event includes precision drumlines, high energy routines, marching band techniques, show-stopping dance teams and live performances by local and national artists. Tickets for Sunday’s ‘Battle of The Bands MLK Weekend Edition’ are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com.
 

“We are beyond proud to team up with the HBCU Culture Legacy Foundation to host this year’s Battle of the Bands MLK Weekend Edition,” said Camye Mackey, EVP and Chief People, Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena. “Like the HBCU Culture Legacy Foundation, we are committed to developing programs that build more equitable and inclusive outcomes for our next generation of leaders by creating opportunities for diverse students to succeed.”

During Sunday’s battle, Hawks executives, along with HBCU Culture Legacy Foundation founders Frank and La Keisha Johnson will present the six marching bands with one personalized Hawks jersey each that include the university names on the back. In addition, Mackey will be recognized as a 2023 HBCU Culture Legacy Foundation Honoree and will receive a special award at the event for her leadership work in the HBCU community.

“Hosting the HBCU Culture Battle of the Bands at State Farm Arena during MLK Weekend is exciting while also very humbling. My wife, La Keisha and I are so grateful for Mrs. Camye Mackey who helped in making this possible,” said HBCU Culture Legacy Foundation Co-founder, Frank Johnson. “On Sunday, we will create a memorable experience during one of the most monumental weekends in history. Because of this opened door and opportunity by way of Mrs. Mackey and the Atlanta Hawks, 1,300 HBCU band students will receive not only an amazing experience, but also exposure which in most cases, is the best education. For that alone, La Keisha and I are forever grateful.”

The HBCU Culture Homecoming Fest & Battle of The Bands MLK Weekend Edition event commences the HBCU Culture $10 Million Scholarship Initiative for 2023. Each participating marching band will receive a $20,000 scholarship towards their band’s program, along with other educational experiences provided by the HBCU Culture Legacy Foundation. Proceeds from tickets, sponsorships and donations are devoted directly to meet their goal. Under Mackey’s facilitation, State Farm Arena recently donated $50,000 to the scholarship.

Friday tips off the highly-anticipated weekend with a Founder’s Fundraising Gala from 6:30 - 10:30 p.m. at Ventanas Atlanta. Mackey and community leader and activist, Pastor Jamal Bryant of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church will be honored as part of the evening’s programming. On the morning of Saturday, Jan. 14, the HBCU Culture Homecoming Fest will be held on the campus of Morris Brown College (Atlanta) from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., perpetually overflowing with a wide variety of exciting activities. During the festival, attendees will enjoy live performances from the Morehouse College Marching Band, the Johnson C. Smith University Drumline, various high school bands and will be able to attend a college and career fair. The festival will also include a vendor marketplace, as well as delicious food trucks, local eateries and sponsor activation.
 

A portion of proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the 2023 Focus HBCU Institution at Morris Brown College. To learn more and secure tickets for the ‘HBCU Culture Homecoming Fest & Battle of The Bands MLK Weekend Edition’ at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 15 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, visit StateFarmArena.com or HBCUCulture.com.
 

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ABOUT HBCU CULTURE LEGACY FOUNDATION

Approaching his senior year at Johnson C. Smith University, Founder Frank Johnson made the tough decision to drop out of college and help provide for his family after his father, who covered his tuition, became ill. Established in 2018, Founders Frank & La Keisha Johnson, who met through the marching band at JCSU, developed HBCU Culture Legacy Foundation 501c3, with a vision to provide reliable resources to HBCU institutions & students. From year to date, the foundation has successfully provided over $1.9 million in scholarships and educational experiences to over 5,000 students. These much-needed funds help to ensure that no student loses a good quality education due to the lack of funds & will not have to make the same decision Frank

 

ABOUT STATE FARM ARENA

Home to the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, the award-winning State Farm Arena is a next-generation sports and live entertainment venue focused on experience, sustainability and service. Inspired by the city, the venue features fan-friendly food pricing, premium restaurant options as well as experiential and celebrity-inspired spaces. In 2022, State Farm Arena became the world’s first venue to earn TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) Platinum certification for zero waste. State Farm Arena consistently ranks among the top 10 concert and event venues in the world from industry-leading publications Pollstar and Billboard. In 2021, Pollstar Magazine ranked State Farm Arena No. 5 on its year-end list of top arenas. Accessible to every fan, the downtown Atlanta arena hosts approximately 175 events and close to 2 million guests annually and stakes its claim as the city’s best sports and live entertainment venue. For more information on State Farm Arena, visit StateFarmArena.com or follow on Twitter @StateFarmArena and Instagram @StateFarmArena.

 

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