Alexa queue, Beyoncé’s “Run the World (Girls).”
2025 has been a notable year for Black women, as they continue to pave a way for future generations to see what’s possible. Among the many Black women who celebrated becoming the first to do something was Florida A&M University senior theater major, Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede. Oloyede became the first female head drum major in FAMU’s history, leading the school’s Marching 100.
“When they called my name, I had to keep my composure,” Oloyede told Andscape.“It didn’t hit me right away. I just knew the real work was about to begin.”
“Appointing Dupe as the first female Head Drum Major of the Incomparable Marching 100 is one of the proudest decisions I’ve made,” FAMU Director of Bands and Professor of Music Shelby Chipman said in a statement, per the Tallahassee Democrat. “She’s a model student, a theater major, a top ensemble musician, and has consistently taken on leadership roles within the band, including show planning. Her warm, spirited nature, steady demeanor, and ability to lead with integrity make her the ideal choice.”
For Oloyede, whose full name means “Lord I thank you,” the appointment feels like she’s walking in her purpose. Before becoming the first head drum major, the FAMU senior was the second ever woman to serve as a Marching 100’s drum major, following in the footsteps of Cori Bostic. Bostic, who became the school’s first first female drum major in 2018 says the Oloyede’s appointment is “the very thing I prayed for.”
“We were taught that excellence wasn’t an exception,” Bostic explained to Ansdcape. “It was the norm, especially for young Black women. Watching Dupé, someone from my own high school, walk into this position and just belong, that’s the dream. She didn’t have to prove herself the way I did. The fact that it was a no-brainer for her to lead, that is the very thing I prayed for.”
Inspired by the hustle her mother taught her and the “strength and care” of her Nigerian heritage, Oloyede has led FAMU’s “incomparabale” Marching 100 band into ESPN’s 2025 HBCU Band of the Year national championship, where they will have the chance to defend their 2024 title as band of the year.
“I am the dream fulfilled. I want to leave a legacy rooted in excellence,” she reflected. “People should remember how we represented the university, on the field, in our communities, across the country. We didn’t just perform. We represented. We were the face of our school in many ways, and we made sure the world knew what excellence from an HBCU looks like.”
