Head of the Class: Famous Black HBCU Alumni

Since the mid 1800s, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the country have been on a mission to educate and empower Black students. Boasting CEOs, politicians, award-winning actors and world-class athletes among their proud alumni, HBCU grads never seem to forget their college years—even long after they finish their studies. Many of them continue to give back whenever they can. In celebration of Black History Month, we’re shining a light on some notable Black HBCU grads.

Randy Jackson

Musician, producer and American Idol host Randy Jackson stayed in his hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana to attend Southern University. He earned a degree in music in 1979 and went on to work with some of the industry’s biggest artists, Mariah Carey and Madonna.

Tom Joyner

Legendary personality Tom Joyner earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Tuskegee Institute before making a name for himself in urban radio. Known as “The Hardest Working Man in Radio,” Joyner famously traveled between his radio shows in Dallas and Chicago daily for eight years.

David Banner

Rapper/producer David Banner attended Southern University in Baton Rouge, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business. After graduation, he went on to pursue a master’s degree in education from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, but left the program to pursue a career in music.

Lionel Richie

Singer, songwriter and American Idol judge Lionel Richie graduated from Tuskegee Institute in 1974 with a degree in economics. And it’s a good thing he did. While there, he joined a campus band called The Mystics. The group eventually became the legendary funk group The Commodores.

Shaun Robinson

Emmy award-winning journalist Shaun Robinson is a proud graduate of Spelman College. The Access Hollywood and 90 Day Fiancé host credits her HBCU experience with helping shape the woman she is today.

“We were looking at history and there was never a time when I was at Spelman and thought that I couldn’t achieve something because of the color of my skin,” she told Forbes in an interview.

Anthony Anderson

Black-ish star Anthony Anderson received his BFA from Howard University in 2022. “To quote Biggie, ‘IT WAS ALL A DREAM!’” the actor, who says the degree was 30 years in the making, wrote on Instagram at the time.

Yolanda Adams

Gospel star Yolanda Adams graduated from Texas Southern University in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. The Grammy award-winning singer taught in the Houston school system before pursing a career in music.

Myles Frost

Tony award-winner Myles Frost is part of the latest graduating class from Bowie State University. The MJ the Musical star earned a degree in fine arts with a concentration in music technology.

Kamala Harris

Vice President Kamala Harris (Class of 1986) calls her time at Howard University her “formative years.” The California native says her on-campus experience helped awaken her love of politics. So it’s only fitting that she’d pick Howard’s campus as the backdrop to formally announce her run for president in 2019.

Chadwick Boseman

The late “Black Panther” actor earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Howard University with the Class of 2000. While battling Stage III colon cancer in 2016, Boseman came back to campus to address the Class of 2018 as commencement speaker.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. skipped two grades in high school, so he was only 15 when he started college at Morehouse, where he earned a B.A. in Sociology in 1948. The late civil rights leader was continuing a family tradition – his grandfather and father went to school there as well.

Michael Strahan

Before becoming a star in the NFL and a GMA co-anchor, Michael Strahan was a star defensive end at Texas Southern University, where he was voted twice as the SWAC Player of the Year in 1991 and 1992.

Thurgood Marshall

Thurgood Marshall earned a Juris Doctorate from Howard University in 1933 and received his undergraduate degree at Lincoln University, our nation’s first degree-granting HBCU. A champion of civil rights, he served as chief counsel for the NAACP before becoming the first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice in 1967.

Spike Lee

Academy Award-winning director Spike Lee is a proud Morehouse grad from the class of 1979. The groundbreaking filmmaker’s impact continues to be felt on campus as he has generously donated money and resources to help launch and expand the school’s Journalism and Sports programs.

Taraji P. Henson

Academy Award-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Howard University in 1995. While studying theater there, “The Color Purple” star worked two jobs to support herself and her newborn son.

Toni Morrison

Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison graduated from Howard University in 1953, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in English. But the “Beloved” author came back to campus after earning her Master’s at Cornell University to work as an English professor for seven years.

Oprah Winfrey

Media mogul Oprah Winfrey graduated from Tennessee State University in 1986. Winfrey, who worked as a local news anchor in Nashville after graduation, came back to campus to address the class of 2023.

Zora Neale Hurston

Before going on to become one of the most important figures in the Harlem Renaissance, author Zora Neale Hurston earned an Associate’s Degree from Howard University in 1920. The “Their Eyes Were Watching God” author is also one of the co-founders of the school’s newspaper, The Hilltop.

Samuel L. Jackson

Actor Samuel L. Jackson is a member of Morehouse College’s Class of 1972. The Pulp Fiction star was in his sophomore year when fellow Morehouse grad Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. While a student, Jackson was active in campus politics. A 1969 protest that involved holding school trustees hostage got him expelled for two years.

Stacey Abrams

Politician, lawyer and author Stacey Abrams graduated magna cum laude from Spelman College in 1995 with a degree in interdisciplinary studies. Although her activism takes her across the country, she’s always willing to come home, like she did in 2022 when she delivered the keynote address to graduates.

Wanda Sykes

Actress and comedian Wanda Sykes is a proud alum of Hampton University where she earned her B.S. in 1986. Before heading to Hollywood, the Emmy award-winner worked as a contracting specialist for the National Security Agency.

Will Packer

Although he earned an engineering degree from Florida A&M University, film producer Will Packer was already making films while a student on campus. The school is so proud of his accomplishments and appreciative of his generous spirit, they named the Performance Arts Amphitheater after him in 2021.

Keshia Knight Pulliam

Actress Keshia Knight Pulliam grew up before eyes playing Rudy Huxtable on The Cosby Show. And fans could not have been more proud to watch her graduate with honors from Spelman College in 2001 with a B.A. in Sociology and a concentration in film.

Phylicia Rashad

Pulliam’s tv mom, Phylicia Rashad, is another proud HBCU alum. The actress studied theater at Howard and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1970.

Megan Thee Stallion

Hotties everywhere got to celebrate with Megan Thee Stallion when she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Health Administration from Texas Southern University in 2021. The “Savage” rapper tweeted a link to her commencement ceremony so fans could watch.