2025 Essence HBCU Classic pits Morehouse vs Johnson C. Smith at Harvard Stadium

Marks first time Classic held in Boston area

Banner Sports Sponsored by the Patriots Foundation

A landmark sporting event will take place at Harvard Stadium on Aug. 30. Morehouse College and Johnson C. Smith University will meet in a football game of historic measure. The Essence HBCU Classic, sponsored by the renowned Black magazine and cosponsored by Cash App and Visa, will be the highlight of a weekend, Aug.28-31, celebrating the legacy of historically Black colleges and universities, Black college football, and the impact both have had on the city of Boston.

Alumni from Morehouse and Johnson C. Smith, as well as many other historically Black colleges and universities, are expected to descend on Boston in large numbers to participate in the weekend, which is full of special events and activities.

“This Classic underscores Boston’s continued commitment to showcasing diverse voices, traditions, and institutions,” said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. “We are proud to bring the spirit of HBCUs to the region and look forward to welcoming visitors from across the country for a weekend of celebration, pride and community.”

The historic weekend includes a halftime tribute to the New Edition singing group, Boston’s musical legends, and will mark the 25th Anniversary of Gospel Fest, a citywide tradition.

A Morehouse defensive back runs down an Alabama A&M Bulldog. PHOTO: MOREHOUSE COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Morehouse is the country’s only historically Black private liberal arts college for men, inaugurated in 1867. The Maroon Tigers’ football program began in 1892, competing against other HBCUs and local teams.

Johnson C. Smith University, initially named the Freedmen’s College of North Carolina, was founded in 1867 and became a founding member of the United Negro College Fund in 1944. The Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls play in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

“This is bigger than a football game; it’s a homecoming for the soul of our city. We are celebrating the legacy, the impact and the spirit of HBCUs while launching a new tradition Boston will cherish for generations,” said Michael Bivins, an original member of New Edition, known today as Bell Biv DeVoe.

Michelle Ghee, chief content officer of Essence, echoes Michael Bivins’ sentiments: “This is our opportunity to showcase the pride, the culture and the traditions that shaped generations of HBCU graduates, while inspiring new connections between our community and the historic city of Boston.”

The weekend events are in collaboration with the city of Boston, Meet Boston, and Campus Rise, to present a platform dedicated to advancing underrepresented student populations. These city and civic partners will join forces to deliver a high-impact weekend experience that celebrates not only athletic excellence, but also educational and economic contributions of HBCUs.

Another significant component of this event will be the launching of a new initiative by the Concussion Legacy Foundation, addressing the needs of non-NFL Black athletes dealing with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, beginning with HBCU players.

The Golden Bulls had an 8-game win streak in 2024. PHOTO: JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

The city of Boston is a historic ground in American history. Crispus Attucks, a Black man, was the first to fall in the Boston Massacre, with historians claiming that his blood baptized the American Revolution. Civil rights icon and Nobel Prize winner Martin Luther King Jr. met Coretta Scott King while studying theology at Boston University. They were married in Boston in 1953.  King’s archives are housed at the B.U. libraries.

Malcolm X, a fellow iconic civil rights leader, spent his formative years in Roxbury, living with his half-sister Ella on Dale Street, where his political awakening began. A landmark stone sits in front of his house.

Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are universally recognized as two leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, which advanced the cause of Black people to where we are today. In 1971, following the deaths of Malcolm X and King, the Urban League hosted a game at Harvard Stadium between Howard University and the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore (UMES), setting the stage for this upcoming HBCU Classic, which will be played on the same Harvard Stadium football field, now elevated.

Much has changed in the 55 years since the Howard/UMES game. Progress from the violent and ugly days of busing has seen the city of Boston morph into a different place.  And while far too many people still view Boston in a negative racial light, there is hope that events like the upcoming HBCU weekend celebration will produce a more progressive view of this city.  Civic leaders are putting so much of their energy into making the weekend a huge success.

Corey Bowdre, co-founder of Campus Rise, said, “Thanks to visionary partners like Cash App/Visa, we are able to celebrate HBCU excellence on a national stage, and create meaningful, lasting connections between culture, commerce, and community.” 

Speaking volumes about the HBCU Classic, John Borders, director of tourism, sports and entertainment for the city of Boston, said, “Boston’s legacy starts with Black history. And this classic writes the next chapter.”