One of few Black women to lead a major collegiate football event, Kendra Bulluck revels in her role as executive director of the Orange Blossom Classic (OBC), a dynamic matchup between two HBCU schools that now takes place each Labor Day weekend. This year’s game will feature Florida A&M facing South Carolina State on September 6 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.With no background in sports but extensive experience as an entrepreneur and business professional, Bulluck’s drive to revive the OBC, which originally ran from 1933–78, was rooted in her father’s stories and his love for Florida A&M University (FAMU).“My dad always talked about the original Orange Blossom Classic and how instrumental the event was,” Bulluck said, noting the event’s cultural and community significance. “It was a huge celebration of Black excellence. That was one of the things he loved most about it. It was bigger than just a football game … I started to research the history of it and thought that it would be good for the current generation to experience it here in Florida.”Under Bulluck’s leadership, the OBC made its 21st-century debut in 2021 and since then, has welcomed more than 100,000 fans to Hard Rock Stadium. Part of its return has been to enhance exposure for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their role in educating professionals and future leaders. One of its missions is to raise scholarship money — initiatives like the scholarship fundraising luncheon have generated more than $500,000 for underserved students.
