2018 HBCU Commencement Speakers

Radio legend Tom Joyner and Chance the Rapper are among those who will deliver words of encouragement 2018’s HBCU grads. See who else made the list below.

Allen University – Rev. Dr. Mark K. Tyler, Pastor of Mother Bethel AME Church (Philadelphia, PA), film maker, educator and talk show host (Baccalaureate speaker)

Mrs. Joan Robinson-Berry, Vice President & General Manager of Boeing South Carolina (Commencement speaker)

Bowie State University- Eunique Jones Gibson Founder of the Because of Them We Can Campaign

Claflin University – April Ryan, Author and political commentator

Concordia College – Tom Joyner, legendary radio host

Dillard University – Chance the Rapper, musician

Elizabeth City State University – Margaret Spellings, UNC System President

Florida A&M School of Law – Loretta Lynch, 83rd Attorney General of the U.S.

Howard University – Chadwick Boseman, actor

Jackson State University – Chokwe Lumumba, Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi

Jarvis College– Jesse J. Holland, Author

Miles College – Dr. Mae C. Jemison, former astronaut, engineer and physician

Mississippi Valley State University –  Sean Suggs, President of Toyota Mississippi

Morgan State University – Tom Joyner, legendary radio host

Morris Brown College – Tom Joyner, legendary radio host

North Carolina A&T University –  Joel Ford, State Senator

Prairie View A&M University – Lonnie Bunch, III, founding director of the Smithsonian African American museum

Savannah State University – Dr. Marion Orr

Southern A&M University – Angela Rye, Attorney, political analyst and commentator

Stillman College – Dr. William F. Pickard, Chairman of Global Automotive Alliance, and Co-Managing Partner of MGM Grand Detroit Casino

Tennessee State University – Eric Thomas, undergrad speaker and Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, graduate speaker

Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law – Congresswoman Maxine Waters

Tougaloo College– NAACP National President and CEO Derrick Johnson

Voorhees College-  Sheryl Underwood, Actress, and TV Host

Wiley College – Dr. David Beckley, President of Rust College