University of Minnesota celebrates 50 years of women in the marching band

Women have been limited in many ways in history, including musically. It was not until 50 years ago that women were officially allowed to put on uniforms and march alongside men in the University of Minnesota’s marching band. 

The university is celebrating its 50-year anniversary of women in the marching band after the implementation of the Title IX sex discrimination act in 1972. The celebration will be held Oct. 28 at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.  

“Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects anyone from sexual discrimination in education programs and other activities that receive federal financial assistance,” according to the U.S. Department of Education. 

The legislation holds great value to the history of women in the marching band because it made it possible for them to participate in the activity.  

“Marching band profoundly affected my life,” said Ann Marie Abress, who played mellophone in the U’s marching band in 2010 and ‘11. ”It gave me a community. I made lifelong friends in marching band. I even met my husband there. It taught me that I can achieve so much more than I thought with a little bit or a lot of work and commitment.” 

According to the University of Minnesota’s School of Music, women had limited roles in the marching band before 1972. Women were allowed to march in the band from 1943 to 1946 in place of men who were serving in World War ll. In the post-war era, women were kicked out of the marching band and returned to their “feminine” roles, despite their musical talents. During the ‘50s, women formed their own group, the Girls Band, which was later renamed the Women’s Division, but they were not allowed to be a part of the marching band.

“The group would make their own sweaters and skirts,” said Elizabeth Kerns McCann, director of the U’s marching band. “They were only allowed to march during one halftime show a year.” 

Even when women were officially added as members of the U’s marching band in 1972, they were on an uneven playing field. They weren’t allowed to wear the same uniforms as the men originally.

“They instead wore sweaters and skirts in the first year, and during the halftime shows they weren’t even allowed to play their instruments,” McCann said. “They put them down on the field and had dance routines during the show instead of playing. It wasn’t until 1973 when everyone was fully integrated.

“I feel a lot of gratitude for all of the women who paved the way for me, to not only march in the band when I was an undergraduate but be a director now.”

In 2016, McCann became the first female head director of a marching band in the Big Ten conference.  

“I didn’t want my gender to play a role in my job,” she said. “I just wanted to do a great job and be recognized as somebody who does a great job and not be recognized because of my gender.”  

She and many other women have made history within the marching band community in the past 50 years, and it has not gone unrecognized. 

”We should be celebrating 130 years of women in the marching band. I am raising two little girls, and it’s always been important to me to show them that women can do whatever they want to do,” Abress said.  

The public is invited to join the women's celebration at Huntington Bank Stadium at 3:45 p.m. on Oct. 28. The event is free, and there is a webinar option starting at 7 p.m.

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