ATLANTA,GA (Sept.2) - It was the formation seen around the world. What began as a simple tribute to the FAMU nation, has spawned conversation across the country. At halftime of the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic this past Saturday, there was an anticipation that could not be described. FAMU's famed Marching "100" would not be performing, serving a one year suspension. After the first thirty minutes of football, the curtain came down on halftime with all 40,000 fans focused squarely on midfield of the Georgia Dome.

Halftime began with the Southern University marching band, affectionately known as "The Human Jukebox." After a few multi-drills, the band moved into the formation of the letters F-A-M-U. A standing ovation from both sides of the stadium and roars of approval echoed from the dome's ceiling as the band played Al Green's "Let's Stay Together." Rattlers and Jaguars alike sang the song in unison, bringing about a feeling of togetherness in the midst of a fierce football game that was still hanging in the balance.

Dr. Lawrence Jackson, Director of Bands at Southern University said, "I decided in the Summer that I wanted to do a tribute to the FAMU family, because we wanted them to know we felt their pain.  It was out of respect and in my spirit.  I informed the 100 Black Men of Atlanta of my intentions and they supported the idea.  There's a long era of great history at FAMU and we know they will emerge stronger as a school.  Our band members were so excited to be able to show their support.  They began clapping when we announced that we were going to do the tribute.  That's a testament to the closeness of HBCU bands all across the country.  We compete on the field, but we are cordial to one another off the field," Jackson said.

Southern University assistant director of bands, Dr. Nathan Haymer, had a strong feeling about his band's performance. "We're all in the same game, we're all in this together. We have a lot of respect for the Marching "100," and we wanted them to know we were thinking about them. In good and bad times we want them to know we were thinking about them and we love them," he said.

National coverage of the Atlanta Football Classic included several columns acknowledging the gesture. Popular morning radio show host Tom Joyner of the Tom Joyner Morning Show spoke extensively about the tribute. Upon understanding what the tribute was about, the philanthropist concluded that it was the ultimate show of class.