Black On Campus
Higher Education and the African American Experience

Notable Black College Grads

November 5th, 2009 by Ajuan Mance

*(Colleges are Listed Alphabetically and graduates are listed alphabetically by first name or stage name.)

Adelphi University

  • Chuck D (Bachelor’s, 1984)
  • Edolphus Towns, D-NY (MSW)
  • Gregory W. Meeks, D-NY (Bachelor’s)

Airforce Institute of Technology

  • Guion “Guy” Bluford (M.S., 1974, Ph.D., 1978, Aerospace Engineering)

Alabama A&M University

  • James Perkins, Jr. (Bachelor’s, Mathematics)

Alcorn State University (Alcorn A&M)

  • Medgar Evers (B.S., 1952)
  • Steve McNair (Bachelor’s, 1995)

American Conservatory Theatre

  • Anna Deveare Smith (MFA, 1976)

American University

  • Star Jones (B.A.)

Amherst College

  • Charles R. Drew (Bachelor’s)
  • Jeffry Wright (Bachelor’s 1987)

Antioch College

  • A. Leon Higginbotham (Bachelor’s, 1949)
  • Coretta Scott King
  • Ed Bullins (B.A., 1989)
  • Eleanor Holmes Norton (B.A., 1960)
  • Oz Scott (B.A., 1972)

Atlanta College of Art

  • Kara Walker (BFA, Painting/Printmaking)

Atlanta University

  • Georgia Douglass Johnson (B.A., 1896)

Auburn University

  • Bo Jackson (B.S., Family and Child Development, 1995)

Ball State University

  • Steadman Graham (M.Ed.)

Barber-Scotia College

  • Mary McLeod Bethune

Barnard College

  • Edwidge Danticat (B.A., French Literature)
  • Ntozake Shange (B.A., American Studies, 1970, cum laude)
  • Zora Neale Hurston (B.A., Anthropology)

Bates College

  • Bryant Gumbel (B.A., History, 1970)
  • Corey Harris (B.A., Anthropology, 1991)
  • John Hope (L.L.D., 1932)

Baylor University

  • Michael Johnson (Bachelor’s, 1990)

Beaver College

  • Anna Deveare Smith (Bachelor’s)

Berea College

  • Carter G. Woodson (B.A., 1903)

Berklee College of Music

  • Branford Marsalis (Bachelor’s, Saxophone, 1980)
  • Cindy Blackman (Bachelor’s, Drums, 1980)
  • Delfeayo Marsalis (Bachelor’s, Trombone, Composition, 1989)
  • Kevin Eubanks (Bachelor’s, Guitar, 1979)
  • Lalah Hathaway (Bachelor’s, Voice, 1994)

Bethune-Cookman University

  • Rodney Chester (B.A.)

Boston College

  • Darnell Alford (Bachelor’s, 2003)
  • Julianne Malveaux (B.A., Economic, 1975; M.A. Economics, 1976)
  • Robert C. Scott, D-VA (J.D.)

Boston University

  • Alfre Woodard
  • Edward Brooke (J.D., 1948)
  • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Ph.D.)

Brandeis University

  • Angela Davis (B.A., magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa)
  • Loretta Devine (M.F.A., Theatre, 1976)
  • Patrik-Ian Polk (B.A., Film and Theatre, 1994)

Brooklyn College

  • Gloria Naylor
  • Shirley Chisholm (B.A., 1949)

Brown University

  • Allison Stewart (B.A., 1988)
  • Andre Leon Talley (M.A., French)
  • Aunjanue Ellis (B.A.)
  • Darryl Thierse (B.A., 1989)
  • Edwidge Danticat (M.F.A., Creative Writing)
  • Fritz Pollard (Bachelor’s, 1919)
  • Gordon Chambers (B.A., 1990)
  • Hill Harper (Bachelor’s, 1988)
  • John Hope (Bachelor’s, 1894)
  • Karyn Bryant (B.A., Political Science, Sociology)
  • Larry Elder (B.A., Political Science, 1974)
  • Royal Miller (B.A., 1988)
  • Scott Poulson-Bryant (B.A., 1988, 2008)

California Institute of the Arts

  • Don Cheadle (B.F.A.)
  • Thomas Jefferson Byrd (M.F.A., Dance)

California State University – Long Beach

  • Betye Saar (M.A., Graphic Design, 1960)

California State University – Los Angeles

  • Diane Watson, D-CA (M.A., School Psychology)
  • Juanita Millender-McDonald, D-CA (Master’s Educational Administration)
  • Maxine Waters, D-CA (B.A.)

California State University – Northridge

  • Morris Chestnut (B.A., Finance and Drama)

Cambridge University

  • Alexander Crummell (A.B. [Bachelor's], Queen’s College, 1853)
  • Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (M.A., Ph.D.)

Carnegie-Mellon University

  • Blair Underwood (Bachelor’s)
  • Shari Belafonte-Harper (B.F.A., Drama)

Carson-Newman College

  • Michael Eric Dyson (Bachelor’s, Honors, 1982)

Case Western Reserve University

  • David Satcher (M.D., Ph.D., 1970, Alpha Omega Alpha)
  • Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-OH (Bachelor’s, Social Work, 1971; J.D>, 1974)

Central State University

  • Leontyne Price (B.A.)

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

  • Ed Bradley (Bachelor’s, Education)

Chicago State University

  • Danny K. Davis, D-IL (Master’s)

Chicago Theological Seminary

  • Jesse Jackson, Jr. (M.A., Theology)

City College of New York (CCNY)

  • Butterfly McQueen (Bachelor’s Political Science, 1975)
  • Colin Powell (Bachelor’s Geology)
  • Faith Ringgold (Bachelor’s, Fine art and Education, 1955; M.A., Art, 1959)
  • Julie Dash (B.A., Film Production)
  • Roy Emile Alfredo Innis (Bachelor’s Chemistry)

Claremont Graduate School

  • Diane Watson, D-CA (Ph.D., Educational Administration)

Cleveland Marshall School of Law

  • Carl Stokes (L.L.B., 1956)

Clark Atlanta University

  • Derrick “D-Reck” Dixon (M.B.A.)
  • Hosea Williams (Master’s, Chemistry)
  • James Weldon Johnson (Bachelor’s, 1896)
  • Major Owens, D-NY (M.S.)
  • Marva Collins (Bachelor’s)
  • Nngest Likke (Bachelor’s)

Colgate University

  • Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. (B.A., 1930)

College of the Holy Cross

  • Clarence Thomas (B.A., cum laude)

Columbia University

  • (Alyce) Faye Wattleton (Master’s, Maternal and Infant Care)
  • Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. (M.A., Religious Education)
  • Annie Elizabeth “Bessie” Delany (D.D.S.)
  • Audre Lorde (M.L.S.)
  • Barack Obama (Bachelor’s Political Science)
  • Constance Baker Motley (J.D., 1946)
  • James Earl Hardy (Master’s, Journalism)
  • James Meredith (L.L.B.)
  • Jewelle Gomez (Master’s, Journalism)
  • Joel Elias Spingarn (B.A., 1895; Ph.D., 1899)
  • Johnathan Reese (Bachelor’s, 2002)
  • Junot Diaz (M.F.A., Creative Writing)
  • Kenneth B. Clark (Ph.D., 1940)
  • Marcellus Wiley (B.A., 1997)
  • Mario Van Peebles (B.A., Economics, 1978)
  • Mat Johnson (M.F.A., Creative Writing)
  • Myronn Hardy (M.F.A., Creative Writing)
  • Paul Robeson (J.D., 1923)
  • Sara “Sadie” Louis Delany (B.S., Education; Master’s, Teacher’s College, 1925)
  • Shirley Chisholm (Master’s, Teacher’s College, Elementary Education)
  • Terry McMillan (Master’s, Journalism)
  • Victor LaValle (M.F.A., Creative Writing)

Cornell University

  • Mae Jemison (M.D., 1981)

Dartmouth College

  • Aisha Tyler (Bachelor’s, Political Science with minor in Environmental Policy, 1992)
  • Brian J. White (Bachelor’s, Political Psychology, Theatre Arts)
  • Keith Boykin (Bachelors, 1987)
  • Shonda Rimes (Bachelor’s, 1991)

DePaul University

  • Benjamin Hooks (J.D., 1948)

Detroit College of Law

  • Dennis Archer (J.D., 1970)

Dillard University

  • Alice Dunbar Nelson (B.A., 1892)
  • Ruth J. Simmons (B.A. 1967)

Drew University

  • Calvin O. Butts (Doctor of Ministry, Church and Public Policy)

Duke University

  • Benjamin Chavis (M.Div., 1980)
  • Bill Campbell (J.D., 1977)
  • Dahntay Jones (Bachelor’s, 2003)
  • Denise Majette (J.D., 1979)
  • Grant Hill (Bachelor’s, 1994)
  • Reggie Love (Bachelor of Arts, 2005)

Eastern Michigan University

  • Judge Mathis (Bachelors, 1983 — led the “Free South Africa” and voter registration campaigns on campus)

***

Emory University

***

Fisk University

  • Alcee Hastings, D-FL (Bachelors)
  • John Hope Franklin (B.A.)
  • John Lewis, D-Georgia (Bachelors)
  • Kym Whitley (Bachelors, Delta Sigma Theta)
  • Marion Barry (Master’s, Chemistry, 1960)
  • Nikki Giovanni (B.A., 1968)
  • W.E.B. DuBois (B.A.)
  • ***

    Florida A&M University (FAMU)

  • Alcee Hastings, D-FL (J.D.)
  • Althea Gibson (B.S., 1953)
  • Corrine Brown (B.S., 1969, Master’s, 1971)
  • David Scott, D-GA (B.A., honors)
  • Kendrick B. Meek, D-FL (Bachelors, Criminal Justice, 1989)
  • Kwame Kilpatrick (B.S., Political Science)
  • T’Keyah Crystal Kemah (Bachelors, School of Business and Industry)
  • ***

    Fordham University

  • Denzel Washington (B.A., double major in Drama and Journalism, 1977)
  • Nate Archibald (Master’s, Adult Education and Human Resource Development)
  • ***

    Fresno State University

    Posted by Ajuan Mance


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