Celebrating the Class of 2026: HBCU Commencement Speakers
Photo Credit: Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger
You know what time it is. It’s time for caps, gowns, diplomas, and BIG celebrations. For those who have graduated or are preparing to graduate this year, the moment that degree is placed in your hands is huge. It represents years of discipline, sacrifice, community, and growth. All the hard work has paid off, and now it’s time for it to be acknowledged publicly and proudly. Graduation is one of the most anticipated days in an HBCU student’s life. The Yard is packed. Families are dressed to impress. Cameras are flashing. And there’s always one important question in the air:
Who's speaking at commencement?
At HBCU Leggings, you know we keep you in the loop. So here’s a look at the incredible leaders, artists, advocates, and changemakers who will take the podium across the country to celebrate the Class of 2026.
Howard University
Photograph of Mayor Muriel Bowser by Magdalena Papaioannou via The Washingtonian
Muriel Bowser, the mayor of D.C., has been selected to speak at Howard University's 158th Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 9th.
Bowser has served as the mayor of D.C. since 2015 and is the second female mayor of the District of Columbia after Sharon Pratt. In her more than 10 years of service to DC, Bowser has accomplished so much. She is dedicated to moving the city forward by investing in projects that serve its residents. The mayor's website reads, "A hallmark of the Bowser administration is the mayor's ability to unstick long-stalled projects."
Her policies have helped to reduce family homelessness by 61% over the past decade by closing the DC General shelter and replacing it with smaller, specialized facilities, and DC has seen a 30% drop in violent crime recently after a 2023 spike.
Leadership speaking to leadership. Howard wouldn’t have it any other way.
Howard’s commencement will take place on campus on the Yard with more details on the Howard University Commencement website.
Jackson State University
Tramell Tillman at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images.)
Jackson State University did not play about commencement this year.
JSU featured three distinguished alumni as keynote speakers for its Spring 2026 commencement ceremonies, held May 1 and May 2 at the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center. Nearly 900 graduates were honored, including the Golden Class of 1976, celebrating their 50th anniversary. That’s a lot of HBCU legacy in one place.
Here’s who took the podium:
Tramell Tillman, the Emmy Award-winning actor known for his breakout role in Apple TV+’s Severance, delivered the address at the 9:00 a.m. undergraduate ceremony on May 2. Tillman spoke about the power of using your voice and staying curious—two tools that every HBCU graduate knows are essential.
Dr. Jelani C. Zarif, associate professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, addressed graduate students on May 1. A scientist and researcher shaping the future of cancer treatment, Dr. Zarif represents what academic excellence looks like when nurtured at an HBCU.
Dr. Jasmin Searcy-Pate, licensed clinical psychologist and educator, delivered the afternoon undergraduate address. Mental health, purpose, and clarity were central themes—timely and necessary for a generation stepping into complex times.
Jackson State designed their commencement ceremonies beautifully this year, catering to each group of graduates with inspiring and passionate speakers.
To watch any of this year’s commencement ceremonies, visit Jackson State University's channel on YouTube here: Jackson State University YouTube Page
Spelman College
Photo Credit: Gilbert Carrasquillo/WireImage
Spelman’s 139th Commencement on Sunday, May 17, 2026, will feature Symone Sanders Townsend as keynote speaker.
At 25, Symone became the youngest presidential press secretary in history during Senator Bernie Sanders’s 2016 campaign. Since then, she has served as a senior advisor on President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign and made history as deputy assistant to the president and senior advisor and chief spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris, becoming the first Black woman to hold that role.
An author, political strategist, and current MSNBC co-host of The Weeknight, Symone has built a career rooted in speaking truth to power. Before stepping onto the national stage, she advocated for juvenile justice reform and later launched her own consulting firm focused on policy and public messaging.
For a Spelman graduating class that includes seven valedictorians, this speaker reflects what happens when a clear mission is executed with passion.
Spelman has always prepared women to lead. Symone Sanders Townsend fits the mold perfectly.
For event details and more information, visit the Spelman College website here: Spelman College Commencement
Morehouse College
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on April 2. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
When Morehouse calls, leaders answer.
Chris Paul will serve as the keynote speaker for Morehouse College’s 142nd Commencement on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 9 a.m. on the Century Campus. He will also receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters in recognition of his leadership and commitment to HBCU excellence.
Yes, his resume is beyond impressive.
He is a 12-time NBA All-Star and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. He has been selected to 11 All-NBA teams and nine All-Defensive teams. His Wake Forest jersey was retired, and he was voted Rookie of the Year. He has built one of the most respected careers in modern basketball.
But that’s only part of the story. Chris Paul is also deeply invested in community development.
Through the Chris Paul Family Foundation, he focuses on education, health and wellness, and leadership development. In 2005, he established the CP3 Foundation in partnership with the Winston-Salem Foundation to honor his late grandfather, Nathaniel Jones. The foundation supports the healthy development of strong communities and young leaders nationally and globally.
Morehouse has always cultivated men who combine excellence with responsibility. If Chris Paul isn’t the embodiment of those traits, I don’t know who is.
This Morehouse College commencement is going to be one to remember.
For more information about Morehouse College’s commencement weekend, visit their website: Morehouse College Commencement
Clark Atlanta University
Debbie Allen at The 16th Governors Awards held at The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood on November 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
Clark Atlanta University’s 37th Commencement Ceremony will feature none other than THE Debbie Allen.
Tony Award-winning icon. Choreographer. Director. And HBCU Champion.
After graduating from Howard University with a B.A. in classical Greek literature, speech, and theater, Debbie Allen launched a career that would span Broadway, television, film, and dance. She appeared in productions like Purlie, Ain’t Misbehavin’, and West Side Story, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She later became a powerhouse behind the scenes as a choreographer and director, shaping the look and feel of some of television’s most memorable moments.
In 2001, she founded the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to serious dance training for young artists. Through that academy, she has mentored and trained the next generation of performers, many of whom now work professionally across stage and screen.
She has also served as a judge and mentor on So You Think You Can Dance, bringing her expertise to national audiences while modeling fairness and integrity. When one of her former students advanced in the competition, she stepped aside as a judge to eliminate any perception of bias. That kind of leadership speaks for itself.
Debbie Allen’s cultural impact stretches beyond awards and accolades. Her role in A Different World contributed to a surge in HBCU enrollment and helped shape how a generation saw Black college life. Now, Allen is also currently involved in the A Different World sequel series, which was filmed on the campus of Clark Atlanta University. She understood the influence of representation long before it became a buzzword.
Now she will stand before Clark Atlanta’s Class of 2026.
Clark Atlanta University's 2026 Commencement is scheduled for Monday, May 18, 2026, at 10:00 AM at the Georgia World Congress Center.
For more information about the Clark Atlanta 2026 Commencement Ceremony, visit their website: Clark Atlanta Commencement Website
To the Class of 2026
And just like that, the Class of 2026 steps into history.
Across campuses from Washington, D.C. to Atlanta to Mississippi, graduates have crossed stages built on legacy and possibility. They have studied late, organized boldly, and grown intentionally, and now they leave with degrees that represent far more than coursework. Those diplomas are a testament to the change they plan to lead and the futures they are prepared to build.
This year’s commencement speakers reflect the magnitude of that moment. Mayors. Surgeons. Strategists. Athletes. Icons. Advocates. Artists. Each one a reminder that an HBCU education does not narrow your path. It expands it. It prepares you to lead in boardrooms, on stages, in laboratories, in city halls, and in communities that need your voice.
To the Class of 2026, we see you.
We see the long nights and the early mornings. The internships. The group projects. The growth you didn’t even notice happening. You are leaving your campus changed and stepping into the world to make it better.
Carry your HBCU pride with you. Carry the lessons and the expectation that you are capable of shaping whatever space you enter next.
The tassel has turned. The future is yours.
Congratulations, Class of 2026. We are so proud of you.
Love and Leggings,
Bibi