Chris Paul and other notable 2026 HBCU commencement speakers
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2026 HBCU commencement season is here, and several institutions from around the nation have booked standout speakers to address the spring Class of 2026. This year's class of commencement speakers comes from diverse fields, including sports, entertainment, and politics.
Notably, three governors are slated to speak at HBCU commencements this year: Wes Moore, Josh Stein, and Abigail Spanberger. Meanwhile, the NBA is well-represented, with Magic Johnson and Chris Paul headlining commencements at Tuskegee University and Morehouse College, respectively.
While the task seems simple, these commencement speeches have the potential to draw national headlines , both for their content and for their appearances. And, following businessman and billionaire Robert Smith's huge charitable act to the Morehouse Class of 2019—where he paid off their outstanding debt—many will be on the lookout to see if the HBCU commencement speakers this year will also be altruistic.
Below are a few notable commencement speakers at HBCUs around the nation.
Related: HBCU GO unveils 2026 football broadcast schedule
Related: Former Dawn Staley, South Carolina star gets another HBCU coaching oppourtunity
| Name |
Occupation |
School |
|---|---|---|
| Delroy Lindo |
Actor |
Fisk University |
| Queen Latifah |
Rapper and actor |
North Carolina A&T State University |
| Debbie Allen |
Director & Producer |
Clark Atlanta University |
| Josh Stein |
North Carolina Governor |
Elizabeth City State University |
| Wes Moore |
Maryland Governor |
Johnson C. Smith University |
| Verda M. Colvin |
Georgia Supreme Court Justice |
Fort Valley State University |
| Symone Sanders Townsend |
Political strategist and MS Now host |
Spelman College |
| Fawn Weaver |
Business Woman |
Grambling State University |
| Michael Eric Dyson |
Author & Professor |
Claflin University; Bowie State University |
| Chris Paul |
NBA star and HBCU advocate |
Not listed |
| James Talarico |
Texas state representative & Senate Candidate |
Paul Quinn College |
| Muriel Bowser |
Washington D.C. Mayor |
Howard University |
| Robert C. Scott |
U.S. House of Representatives Member |
Hampton University |
| Jay Jones |
Virginia Attorney General candidate |
Norfolk State University; Virginia State University |
| Abigail Spanberger |
Virginia Governor |
Virginia State University |
| Tramell Tillman |
Actor |
Jackson State University |
| Magic Johnson |
NBA Hall-of-Famer & Businessman |
Tuskegee University |
