Florida A&M University band returns to the field

Sports

Florida A&M University band returns to the field

The Florida A&M University band performs Sunday, Sept. 1, 2013, in Orlando, Fla., during FAMU's season-opening football game against Mississippi Valley State. It's the band's first appearance in a football stadium in nearly 22 months after the 2011 hazing death of a drum major.

The Florida A&M University band performs Sunday, Sept. 1, 2013, in Orlando, Fla. All FAMU band performances had been halted following the death of drum major Robert Champion during a hazing ritual in November 2011.

The Florida A&M University band takes the field before they perform Sunday, Sept. 1, 2013, in Orlando, Fla. This is the band's first appearance in a football stadium in nearly 22 months after the 2011 hazing death drum major Robert Champion.

The Florida A&M University Marching 100 band performs in Orlando, Fla., during FAMU's season-opening football game against Mississippi Valley State.

The Florida A&M University band performs Sunday during FAMU's season-opening football game, its first appearance in a football stadium in nearly 22 months.

The Florida A&M University band performs in Orlando, Fla., during FAMU's season-opening football game against Mississippi Valley State, its first appearance in a football stadium in nearly 22 months. All band performances were halted for FAMU's famed Marching 100 shortly after Robert Champion collapsed and died following a hazing ritual on a bus parked at an Orlando hotel in November 2011.

Florida A&M University is one of three predominantly black schools in the list's top 10. Its graduation rate is 39 percent for black students, who make up 87 percent of the student body. The degree costs $94,300 and graduates earn about $45,900 early in their careers and carry about $27,275 in student debt. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

The Florida A&M University band performs Sunday, Sept. 1, 2013, in Orlando, Fla. With trials still pending for several defendants in the hazing death of a former drum major, the band makes its return performance after a 22-month absence.

The Florida A&M University band performs during FAMU's season-opening football game against Mississippi Valley State. With trials still pending for several defendants in the hazing death of a former drum major, the band makes its return performance after a 22-month absence.

The Florida A&M University band performs Sunday, Sept. 1, 2013, in Orlando, Fla. With trials still pending for several defendants in the hazing death of a former drum major, the band makes its return performance after a 22-month absence.

The Florida A&M University band performs at half time Sunday, Sept. 1, 2013, in Orlando, Fla., during FAMU's season-opening football game against Mississippi Valley State. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

The Florida A&M University band performs Sunday, Sept. 1, 2013, in Orlando, Fla., for the first time in nearly 22 months. In 2011, all band performances were halted for FAMU's famed Marching 100 shortly after drum major Robert Champion collapsed and died following a hazing ritual. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

The Florida A&M University band performs Sunday, Sept. 1, 2013, in Orlando, Fla., during FAMU's season-opening football game against Mississippi Valley State. It's the band's first appearance in a football stadium in nearly 22 months after the 2011 hazing death of a drum major. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

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The Florida A&M University band performs Sunday, Sept. 1, 2013, in Orlando, Fla. All FAMU band performances had been halted following the death of drum major Robert Champion during a hazing ritual in November 2011.

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