Where legends are born
"Founded in July of 1968, at Alcorn State University the Golden Girls, affectionately called the GGs, were the first dance line to perform as a featured squad with choreographed movements to a marching band’s live tunes. Alcorn State University is the oldest public historically black land-grant institution in the United States and the second-oldest state-supported institution of higher learning in Mississippi. Alcorn State University was founded in 1871 as a result of the people of Mississippi’s efforts to educate the descendants of formerly enslaved Africans. It was named in honor of the sitting governor of Mississippi, James L. Alcorn." Read More: https://www.alcorn.edu/discover-alcorn/history
The legends
The eight original Golden Girls were Gloria Gray Liggans, Mar Deen Bingham Boykin, Delores Black Jenkins, Patricia Gibbs, Barbara Heidelberg Fox, Paulette McClain Moore, Josephine Washington Parker, and Margarett Bachus Wilson. In the Fall of 1968, the Golden Girls made their national debut in Miami, Florida during the Orange Blossom Classic. Prior to the halftime during this game, no one had ever seen a female dance team perform without batons. A silence fell over the crowd as these eight, regal, African American ladies took the field. The capes were snatched off in a quick one, two motion, revealing Alcorn’s most prized possessions.
The legacy
The Alcorn State Golden Girls continue to mesmerize sold-out crowds during halftime shows at University games. Commonly referred to as the face of the University Marching Band, these ladies have yet to disappoint!
With each passing year, the current Golden Girls carry on in stride and the alumnae carry on the vision. The Legacy continues . . .