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Posted

 Recently announced that there is an African American Legacy Corps that has been building momentum for a couple of years and that momentum in membership and skill has allowed DCI to agree for them to perform in 2027 at the DCI Championships at the Semi Finals in exhibition.

 I think this is wonderful news. So many African American kids came thru the ranks of Drum Corps, and just like many of us it help mold us into good adults and provided us with such great memories of marching with others in our Drum Corps.

  https://www.dci.org/news/african-american-legacy-corps-sets-sights-on-2027-world-championship-appearance/?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email

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Posted

very cool!

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Posted (edited)

Anyone remember the CMCC Warriors out of NYC in the 70’s? They were a blast to watch perform!

Edited by Sutasaurus
  • Like 2
Posted
1 hour ago, Sutasaurus said:

Anyone remember the CMCC Warriors out of NYC in the 70’s? They were a blast to watch perform!

They were great.  We performed at their show in Brooklyn one afternoon.

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Posted
On 2/19/2026 at 4:05 PM, LabMaster said:

They were great.  We performed at their show in Brooklyn one afternoon.

I remember the drum major was quite the showman. He was a show unto himself.

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Posted

There were some outstanding Black Drum Corps in the NYC area, particularly during the '60s and '70s. Here's some background:

https://www.panonthenet.com/articles/2021/african-american-drum-and-bugle-corps-then-and-now-by-harold-craig-barber-9-24-21.htm

The Wynn Center Toppers - taught by the great Billy Hightower

The Carter Cadets - Alma Mater of legendary instructor, Harold Barber

The Minnisink (CMCC) Warriors - instructed by Bobby Winslow, the most progressive percussion writer of his day

And just across the river in Newark, the "senior" George Washington Carver Gay Blades who produced Gene Bennett, Alfred "Uncle Nick" Nichols, Joe Tucker, Bob Cephus, Duke Jordan and dozens of other exceptional performers and instructors. Carver was flat-out the hippest corps in the country in their heyday, performing repertoire of Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, the Drifters, Billy Eckstein and other classic Black artists. Even as I competed against them they remained my favorite Drum Corps.

And that was just a small sample of what was happening throughout the country. Think of the Spirit of St. Louis, Page Park Cadets and so many others.

It is my hope that alumni from all these influential corps, and their sons and daughters, will form the nucleus of this 2027 project, augmented by the hundreds of young, gifted and Black recent Drum Corps alumni. After all, it is they who reaped the harvest of that legacy.

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Posted

Were it not for Wynn Center P.A.L. and the Carter Cadets, I would never have become a drum corps participant and later on, a fan..Both were within walking distance from my home. . In the summer, they would parade in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn, with crowds of  kids like me following them in the streets until they reached their home bases ...Great memories!..peace

  • Like 2
Posted
On 2/19/2026 at 4:47 PM, Sutasaurus said:

Anyone remember the CMCC Warriors out of NYC in the 70’s? They were a blast to watch perform!

They were still active as a mini-corps at DCA prior to the merger with DCI.

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