Alcorn State University Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite

Alcorn State University Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite
The Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite band performs during a field show.
Parade appearances	2025
School	Alcorn State University
Location	Alcorn, Mississippi
Director	Dr. Everson Martin Brian Sterling Byron Chatman
Herald Square Performance	"A Decade-Spanning Medley"

The Alcorn State University Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite is the marching band of Alcorn State University, located in Alcorn, Mississippi. Nicknamed the "Showband from Southland," the group began as a Brass Band in 1885, and experienced renaissances, reestablishments, expansions, and transformations throughout the 20th century with the events of both World Wars and Jim Crow laws. Included in the ensemble are the World Renown Golden Girls dance line (the first HBCU dance line in history), the Lady Purple Flashers color guard, and the Funky Four drum line. The Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite's extensive resume includes halftime performances for the NFL and NBA, and at President Jimmy Carter's Inaugural Parade.

History with the Macy's Parade

In 2025, the Alcorn State University Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite represented Mississippi during its first appearance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The band was formally invited in August 2024 at a special event on campus and was selected from a pool of 179 applicants for its “dynamic sounds and performance” by the Macy's Parade Band Committee. Dr. Everson Martin, the director of bands at Alcorn State University, said he was tasked "a year and a half" earlier to put the school on a national stage, and after consultation with many of his colleagues, submitted an audition application.

As part of the announcement, students were presented with a commemorative drumhead and a $10,000 fundraising headstart, which will go towards the estimated $500,000 in travel expenses. As part of its fundraising efforts, the band organized its own "March to Macy's" fundraiser, which was promoted with the hashtag #SODMarchtoMacy's.