A team of Southern University students, including Monroe native Verbon Muhammad Jr., has made history by winning a prestigious Emmy Award at the 46th Annual Sports Emmy Awards in New York City on May 20, 2025.
Their documentary, The Hidden Sport, which highlights the athleticism and cultural significance of the Southern University Human Jukebox Marching Band, earned the 2025 Coca-Cola HBCU Sports Production Grant, a $40,000 award sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company and the Foundation of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
The student filmmakers, known as “The Dream Team,” consist of Loren Sullivan, Verbon Muhammad Jr., Sydney Cuillier, Ashley Lovelace, and Eric White.
Their documentary reframes the Human Jukebox as more than just halftime entertainment, showcasing the intense physicality, precision, and passion required to be part of this iconic HBCU marching band.
The film, completed in March 2025, also pays tribute to late band member Caleb Wilson and former Southern University football coach Sean Wallace, honoring their lasting impact on the university’s band and athletics programs.
Verbon Muhammad Jr., a senior computer science major with a concentration in cybersecurity, graduated from Southern University this semester.
A Monroe native and 2019 graduate of Carroll High School, Verbon grew up immersed in the local culture and has been passionate about music and videography since his youth.
He began participating in the marching band in the seventh grade and continued his involvement as a member of the Human Jukebox Media Team at Southern University. Verbon is also a member of Muhammad Mosque No. 65 in Baton Rouge.
His father, Verbon Muhammad Sr., has high hopes for his son’s ambition to become a professional videographer and open his own business, a dream that this Emmy win brings closer to reality.
Muhammad Sr. told the Free Press that he has immense pride in his son’s achievement.
“I was ecstatic,” he said. “When he told me they got the nomination, I thought, ‘That’s good.’ But when he called back and said they were headed to New York to receive the Emmy, I couldn’t believe it. It was embargoed, so he couldn’t tell me right away, but man, I was so excited!”
Verbon Sr. and his wife are thrilled about their son’s accomplishment, noting that it’s a significant milestone for their family.
They plan to organize a local screening of The Hidden Sport in August, potentially at the African-American Museum in Monroe, to share the documentary with the community. Verbon Jr. is expected to attend the event.
The Emmy win marks a historic moment for Southern University and HBCUs, highlighting the power of student-led storytelling in celebrating Black culture and redefining athleticism. The Dream Team plans to allocate a portion of the $40,000 grant to create scholarships, support the Human Jukebox program and its media team, and enhance resources for Southern University’s Department of Mass Communication.
The Hidden Sport will be released publicly on YouTube this summer, offering a broader audience the chance to experience its powerful narrative.
