Image Credit: Blavity
Jackson State University (JSU) has named Ariel Woods as the fourth female drum major in the history of its legendary marching band, the Sonic Boom of the South.
Woods, a senior at JSU, was selected as one of the five lead drum majors, known as the “Jackson Five,” for the 2024-25 academic school year, marking a historic moment in the band’s legacy.
Woods, who is affectionately known as “Her,” joins a prestigious list of female drum majors who have led one of the nation’s most celebrated HBCU bands.
Her appointment comes seven years after the previous female drum major in 2017, and she hopes to inspire the next generation of young women to pursue leadership roles in the world of marching bands.
In an interview with 16 WAPT News, Woods recalled the powerful moment she learned she had earned the role:
“Everything kind of just started happening in slow motion. Everybody started cheering me on and was just really excited that I was going to be the next drum major.” For Woods, this accomplishment is not just a personal triumph but a statement for women in leadership. “I’m a figure for little girls coming up who are in band and who want to be in this position as a drum major.”