Langston Marching Pride Band ranks among top HBCU programs

Langston University's Marching Pride Band has grown into one of the nation’s top-ranked HBCU bands, performing at major events across the country.

Friday, July 18th 2025, 8:45 am

By: Brooke Cox

LANGSTON, Okla. -

Dr. Mark Gordon became Director of Bands at Langston University in 2018 and has since helped elevate the Marching Pride Band to national recognition.

Under his leadership, the band has grown from 45 students to between 280 and 300 members, earning a place among the top eight Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) bands in the country.

Oklahoma’s Only HBCU Band Expands Reach

Dr. Gordon says the Marching Pride Band holds the distinction of being Oklahoma’s only HBCU marching band and the westernmost HBCU band in the United States. It represents a diverse group of students from across the U.S., Ghana, Great Britain, and the Bahamas.

The band has performed at major events including:

The National Battle of the Bands in Houston, TX (3 times)
The Honda Battle of the Bands in Montgomery, AL (2 times)
Halftime shows for the Oklahoma City Thunder (7 consecutive years)
The Sacramento Kings' halftime show
The 89ers Parade in Guthrie, OK
Mardi Gras in New Orleans
The XFL professional football league
MLK Day parades across Oklahoma and Texas

Upcoming Performances and National Competitions

The Marching Pride Band will take part in several high-profile performances in August, including:

The Pepsi National Battle of the Bands on Aug. 23 in Houston, TX
The Langston-Grambling Classic on Aug. 30 in Shreveport, LA
The Labor Day Classic Battle of the Bands on Aug. 31 in Jackson, MS

Each of these events includes some of the top-ranked HBCU bands in the country.

Commitment to Excellence and Education

Dr. Gordon says the Marching Pride practices Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on campus. Nearly 28% of Langston’s student body participates in the program, which holds the university’s second-highest GPA and student retention rate.

“Our job is to get the students in and get them walking across that stage and graduating,” Gordon said. His guiding motto: “If we teach kids, we won’t have to re-teach adults.”