The Excelsior Band began on November 23, 1883, celebrating the birth of John A. Pope's son, John C. Pope.

The Excelsior Band, believed to be the oldest continuous marching Jazz band in the United States, will celebrate its 104th Anniversary with a free concert at the Mobile History Museum on Sunday, November 19, 2023, at 2:00 PM.

The band has received numerous local, state, regional, and national awards since its inception. Among the awards received are 213 Alabama State Council on the Arts Folk Heritage Award and the National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Award.