This August, Boston will experience something it has never seen before. From August 28–31, 2025, the ESSENCE® HBCU Classic will bring the unmatched pride, pageantry, and cultural brilliance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities to Harvard Stadium—marking the first time the city has hosted an event of this magnitude with HBCUs at its center.
The four-day celebration, anchored by the highly anticipated Morehouse College vs. Johnson C. Smith University football game on Saturday, August 30, will transform the city into a vibrant stage for Black excellence. Expect electrifying marching bands, dynamic dance teams, thought-provoking conversations, alumni reunions, and a curated marketplace highlighting Black-owned businesses from across the country.
“This is our opportunity to showcase the pride, the culture, and the traditions that have shaped generations of HBCU graduates while inspiring new connections between our community and this historic city,” says Michele Ghee, Chief Content Officer of ESSENCE®.
Before the big game, the weekend opens on Thursday, August 28, with the OpportuniTEE Golf Classic, presented in partnership with the PGA—a premier gathering where the greens will double as a meeting ground for curated conversations and career-building connections. On Friday, August 29, WorthWealthCon will convene for a day of business insight and networking, leading into a spirited City Hall Pep Rallythat will fill downtown Boston with music, color, and anticipation.
Saturday will be the heartbeat of the celebration. The morning begins with Fan Fest, where the air will be thick with the scent of beloved dishes, the pulse of live music, and the bustle of a marketplace showcasing Black-owned businesses from across the nation. By afternoon, the city’s attention will turn to Game Day at Harvard Stadium, a showdown between Morehouse College and Johnson C. Smith University that promises electrifying marching bands, high-energy dance teams, and a halftime moment honoring Boston’s own New Edition.
Sunday offers a softer, soulful close with GospelFest, a citywide tradition that will blend spiritual uplift with community gathering, followed by an evening at the Red Sox game—a nod to Boston’s own beloved pastime, reimagined through the lens of the weekend’s joy.
Founded in the 19th century, HBCUs emerged during an era when Black students were systematically barred from most American colleges and universities. These institutions—spanning from Howard University in Washington, D.C., to Tuskegee University in Alabama—did more than educate. They became cultural sanctuaries, producing civil rights leaders, groundbreaking artists, STEM innovators, and generations of educators who carried the torch of progress forward. Today, they continue to serve as hubs for intellectual development and cultural pride, places where Black identity is celebrated, history is honored, and the next generation of leaders is cultivated.
Hosting the Classic at Harvard Stadium, one of the nation’s most storied academic arenas, holds symbolic weight. Boston’s relationship with Black culture has long been layered—home to pivotal abolitionist history and influential Black intellectual life, but where Black visibility in mainstream cultural spaces has often been limited. Bringing HBCU traditions to Harvard’s grounds sends a clear message: Black culture belongs everywhere—from historically Black campuses in the South to the Ivy League’s marble steps.
While the football showdown between Morehouse and Johnson C. Smith will be the main attraction, the ESSENCE® HBCU Classic is a cultural takeover. Across the city, events will bring together community, scholarship, and celebration, including a lively Fan Fest with music and food, intimate cultural conversations on leadership and entrepreneurship, and guided tours through Boston’s rich Black history. Alumni mixers and pop-up experiences will connect the local community with thousands of visitors traveling from across the country, creating a weekend that is as much about connection as it is about competition.
“The ESSENCE® HBCU Classic is about legacy, visibility, and pride,” said [ESSENCE® spokesperson]. “Bringing this celebration to Harvard Stadium is a statement that our culture and our contributions belong everywhere, including the most storied academic stages.”
For Boston, this event is more than a weekend of festivities—it is a bridge between the city’s deep-rooted Black history and the living legacy of HBCUs. For the thousands expected to attend, it will be a chance to revel in the sounds of the drumline, taste the flavors of Black culinary traditions, and experience the undeniable magic that happens when Black culture is celebrated unapologetically.
For tickets and the full schedule, visit www.essencekickoff.com.