New Orleans. Dallas. Atlanta. Those are the cities most people expect to see attached to an HBCU football classic.
But Boston? At Harvard Stadium? That announcement stopped people in their tracks and sparked the same question everywhere: How did this come about?
On Saturday, Morehouse College and Johnson C. Smith University will meet in the inaugural Essence HBCU Classic, a game organizers say is about more than football and more than Boston’s reputation.
Why Boston?
Derrick Brown, co-founder of the event, said the answer lies in timing and community.
“For years, we’ve had Black and brown people going up to the Vineyard, and that’s kind of been a signal and signing place of Black excellence,” Brown said. “Now you have Harvard saying they’re going to embrace HBCU culture, and the city’s leadership standing strong on diversity.”
Boston also has a strong HBCU alumni footprint. Morehouse has its largest alumni association in the region, and local leaders with HBCU ties quickly stepped in.
“The mayor is doing a press conference, and she’s coming to the game,” Brown said. “They’ve wrapped their arms around this in a way I haven’t seen before.”
Essence steps into the game
When the idea reached Essence’s Chief Content Officer, Michele Ghee, she said the fit was immediate.
“People ask, ‘Essence and HBCUs?’ To me, it makes perfect sense,” she said. “We’re really all about Black excellence and making sure we’re telling every story.”
For Ghee, the reach goes far beyond Harvard Stadium. “My job is to see the content opportunities so that if you weren’t in Boston, you can still experience something great,” she said. Essence plans to capture the weekend across Cambridge, Boston and Roxbury and share it with an audience of nearly 100 million people a month across its platforms.
More than a game
The Classic is framed as a four-day cultural event. The lineup includes:
- OpportuniTEE Golf Classic in partnership with the PGA.
- WorthWealthCon, a financial empowerment conference.
- City Hall pep rally in downtown Boston.
- Fan Fest and game day at Harvard Stadium.
- Gospel Fest, a city tradition marking its 25th year.
- New Edition tribute, including a street renaming and block party in Roxbury.
“It’s a massive undertaking,” Brown said. “We didn’t want this to just be another HBCU game. This one’s purpose-driven. You see a lot more government, a lot more charity involved than you necessarily would with other games.”
Morehouse vs. Johnson C. Smith
The matchup itself carries weight.
“Johnson C. Smith is coming off the best season they’ve ever had,” Brown said. “And Morehouse is one of the most celebrated teams in all of HBCU culture. Bringing them together here felt right.”
For Ghee, the pairing highlights schools that deserve the spotlight. “Oftentimes, smaller schools don’t get the spotlight,” she said. “Now Johnson C. Smith gets that moment.”
Beyond the field
Organizers stress that the impact isn’t limited to ticket sales or ESPN+ streams.
“This is a chance to share tradition with a friend, with a child, with a loved one, with a neighbor,” Brown said.
South Shore Snacks, a local company, purchased 2,000 tickets to distribute to neighborhood kids. Thirty Black-owned businesses will also be given free vendor space at the game. And at WealthCon, a university president is expected to announce a new initiative aimed at boosting HBCU enrollment among Boston-area students.
“That’s the ripple effect we want,” Brown said. “When we look back next year, are more Boston kids applying to HBCUs? That’s as important as anything on the scoreboard.”
Setting the bar
Still, organizers know year one will be judged by familiar benchmarks.
“The ticket sales look great,” Brown said. “We’ve landed blue-chip sponsors on multiyear deals. And then there’s the cultural side — our model at Howard was, we never lost a party. The game is big, but everything that surrounds the game is just as important.”
Building a legacy
For Ghee, the Classic is about long-term impact.
“When organizations come into a city, it amplifies Black businesses, Black culture and Black families,” she said. “Education is part of it too, and so is collaboration. That’s the legacy.”
Brown added, “Everybody’s invited to the cookout. If this ends up being your entry point into HBCU culture, we hope you’ll come back for more.”
Tickets and info
Tickets are available at essencekickoff.com and through Harvard Athletics. The game will also stream on ESPN+.
