In December 2008, Curtis Inabinett Jr.—author of “The Legendary Florida A&M University Marching Band: The History of ‘The Hundred’”—watched the Kennedy Center Honors, an annual award given to members of the performing arts community for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. While watching the show, Inabinett was inspired to nominate Dr. William P. Foster, famed director of The Marching 100 for more than 50 years.
A member of the Marching 100 from 1977 to 1979, Inabinett was familiar with marching bands’ role in American culture. “I knew Dr. Foster had done a lot of things in the world of marching bands,” Inabinett says. “So, I decided to do some more research.”
This research eventually led to a book that covers the history of the Marching 100 from 1946 to 2015. Readers should expect substantial time devoted to Foster along with a more general history of the program including the infamous hazing scandal of 2011 and the band’s redemption.
After Inabinett’s seven-year endeavor, the book was published in late 2016.
