Keep The Music Playing Gala! November 16, 2025!

Celebrating the Present

The Excelsior Band is celebrating 140 amazing years of music performance from 1883 - 2023!

Please join us as we celebrate and enjoy recognition of the band's historical achievements from National, State and Local organizations.

2022 NEA National Heritage Fellowship Award Winners

To start the celebration off, the Excelsior Band was officially recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts on November 17, 2022 in a celebration event held at University of South Alabama Marx Library.

This tribute to brass band musicians Excelsior Band was released in November 2022 as part of “Roots of American Culture: A Cross Country Visit with Living Treasures of the Folk and Traditional Arts.”

From the National Endowment of the Arts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFHvfhWKFT4

140th Anniversary Concert &

2023 Concert Series

On Sunday, March 26th, 2023, The Excelsior Band presented a free live concert in celebration of their 140th Anniversary. This concert was presented in partnership with the Mobile Public Library. The concert was followed by a series of live concerts at all of the Mobile Public Library locations during the month of June 2023.

The 2023 Griot Award - Presented by The DFFAAHT

On Friday, May 19th, 2023 The Dora Franklin Finley African American Heritage Trail held its Annual Griot Award Gala and honored the Excelsior Band during its 140th year anniversary at a presentation held in the Atrium of the Mobile Government Plaza.

Enjoy this photo collection courtesy of The Black Ink Coalition.

Oral History Collection

Our celebration of 140 years continues with an opportunity for the community to get to know our current membership a little better. Please enjoy these interviews from our oral history project started in partnership with The Black Ink Coalition and the University of South Alabama Doy Leale McCall Rare Book and Manuscript Library.