The importance of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) has arguably never been greater. And now, in the year 2020, that notion is being lived out in real-time thanks to the overwhelming number of HBCU graduates who have been making Black history through their tireless work that is literally helping to change the world.
From the arenas of politics to entertainment to corporate America and well beyond, some of the most successful Black folks are — and have been for a long time — the proud products of HBCUs.
Stacey Abrams’ name rings bells like Sunday at 12 o’clock. The former Georgia state rep. who was cheated out of becoming the nation’s first Black woman governor has been hard at work making sure the voter suppression she faced as a candidate never happens again. The leader of the Fair Fight organization is a popular choice for a possible vice-presidential candidacy and is a rising star within the Democratic Party who is expected to have a major impact on the 2020 election whether she is running or not.
2. Rev. William Barber II, N.C. Central University
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The good reverend has not only been busy waging war on the criminalization of poverty but also on the front lines of the presidential campaigns offering sage advice to candidates and the American political system as a whole. The former North Carolina NAACP leader who rose to prominence behind the Moral Mondays movement has also helped to resuscitate Dr. Martin LUther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign.
Pictured: Barber speaks during the Democratic Presidential Committee’s summer meeting on Aug. 23, 2019, in San Francisco.
3. Kenya Barris, Clark Atlanta University
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This media maven responsible for writing and/or producing the likes of “Black-Ish,” “Grown-ish” and “Mixed-ish” has laid down a strong foundation to keep creating hit TV shows that are responsible for diversifying images of Black people on television.
Pictured: Barris speaks on stage at the Hammer Museum Los Angeles Presents MoMA Contenders 2019 Screening and Q&A of “Dolemite Is My Name” at Hammer Museum on Dec. 02, 2019, in Los Angeles.
4. Rosalind G. Brewer, Spelman College
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The first woman and African American to be Starbucks’ president and chief operating officer held several leadership roles at Walmart and is a former Sam’s Club CEO. Forbes magazine in 2016 ranked her as the 57th most powerful woman in the world. Brewer has also has been known for speaking out about diversity and faced backlash for fiercely advocating for women in the workplace.
Pictured: Rosalind Brewer, then-Executive Vice President and President of Walmart East, speaks during the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Dream Gala at Hilton Hotel on Oct. 15, 2011, in Washington, D.C.
5. Ruth Carter, Hampton University
Source: WENN
The Academy Award-winning costume designer for the blockbuster movie “Black Panther” and recently debuted her collection of clothes that she designed in the colors of red, black and green for retailer H&M.
Pictured: Carter posing with her Oscar at the 91st Academy Awards in 2019.
6. Raashaun "DJ Envy" Casey, Hampton University
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From his humble beginnings as the famous DJ Clue?’s protege to becoming even more famous than his mentor as one-third of “The Breakfast Club” radio show, DJ Envy has also recently made a name for himself as a successful real estate developer.
Pictured: DJ Envy spins at Harlem’s Fashion Row The Prelude at Sony Hall on Feb. 05, 2020, in New York City.
7. Louis Farrakhan, Sr., Winston-Salem State University
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The controversial minister of the Nation of Islam has been a tireless advocate for Black lives, whether you agree with his philosophy or not. He has maintained a loyal following throughout his career in public life and notably called for racial segregation after Donald Trump was elected president in 2016.
Pictured: Minister Louis Farrakhan speaks from behind a bullet-proof shield on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol building for ‘Justice or Else,’ a rally held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March on Oct. 10, 2015, in Washington, D.C.
8. Andrew Gillum, Florida A&M University
Source: WENN
The former mayor of Tallahassee made a national name for himself by losing a rigged gubernatorial election to a racist candidate in Florida in 2018, but he still was able to thrust himself into the conversation of 2020 vice-presidential candidates while his political star shines brighter and brighter.
9. Rep Al Green, Howard University, Texas Southern University, Tuskegee University
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The congressman from Texas is credited with being among the first to call for Donald Trump’s impeachment, something that ultimately became a reality through his tireless campaigning for it.
Pictured: Green speaks during an anti-Trump press conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on May 9, 2019.
10. Kamala Harris, Howard University
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The senator from California made history with her presidential campaign last year, but she was also a leading voice during Trump’s impeachment trial. Throughout it all, Harris, too, has been reportedly courted as a possible vice presidential pick for Joe Biden and has emerged as a popular choice to be the next U.S. attorney general should the eventual Democratic nominee win on Election Day.
Pictured: Harris walks outside the Senate chamber during a recess in the impeachment trial proceedings against President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 24, 2020, in Washington, D.C.
11. Jesse Jackson, North Carolina A&T University
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The civil rights icon’s reputation precedes himself, but he remains resolute in fighting for Black lives. Jackson recently released a new book called “Keeping Hope Alive: Sermons and Speeches of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.,” a riff off his famous catchphrase.
Pictured: Jackson speaks onstage during the CORE Gala: A Gala Dinner to Benefit CORE and 10 Years of Life-Saving Work Across Haiti & Around the World at Wiltern Theatre on Jan. 15, 2020, in Los Angeles.
12. Samuel L. Jackson, Morehouse College
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This ubiquitous and prolific actor plays each and every role he accepts as if it was his last, a true testament to his devotion to his craft that brings life to his characters that always seem to resonate with viewers no matter how big or small the parts are.
Pictured: Jackson attends “The Last Full Measure” Atlanta screening at SCADshow on Jan. 20, 2020, in Atlanta.
13. Letitia James, Howard University
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The first Black woman New York State Attorney General has been on a mission to bring justice to where it is not, including and especially the White House. James has sued the Trump administration over its so-called Muslim ban and vowed to investigate the president’s finances.
Pictured: James announces a lawsuit against e-cigarette giant Juul on Nov. 19, 2019, in New York City.
14. Kweisi Mfume, Morgan State University
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The former Representative from Maryland’s 7th district whose resignation from Congress created the vacancy that was ultimately filled by Elijah Cummings in 1996 until his death on Oct. 17 is now pursuing that seat again. Mfume, a former national president of the NAACP, recently won the primary to be the Democratic nominee in an upcoming special election.
Pictured: Mfume gives his victory speech at his primary election night party at The Forum in Baltimore on Feb. 4, 2020.
15. Marilyn Mosby, Tuskegee University
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The State’s Attorney for Baltimore is the youngest chief prosecutor of any major American city and has been a major advocate for other Black women serving in the same position around the country. Mosby first gained national attention in 2015 when her Baltimore prosecution office indicted six police officers in the death of Freddie Gray.
Pictured: Marilyn Mosby speaks onstage during 2018 Urban One Honors at The Anthem on Dec. 9, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
16. Bakari Sellers, Morehouse College
Source: iOne Digital
he history-making former state representative from South Carolina has become one of the most sought after political pundits on cable TV as well as on the lecture circuit, waxing poetic on everything from the law to current events to HBCUs to, of course, politics. But he’s also carved out an impressive role for himself as an equally effective social media influencer, repeatedly posting his opinion about topics that many times provide a voice for the voiceless.
17. Ruth Simmons, Dillard University
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Prairie View A&M University’s president who is also the first African-American president of an Ivy League school (Brown University) is a highly regarded educator who came out of retirement to lead the HBCU in Texas. Simmons’ personal journey, from the child of a sharecropper and maid to the heights of academia, is inspirational.
Pictured: Simmons, then-president of Brown University, photographed on March 28, 2010, in New Delhi, India.
18. Stephen A. Smith, Winston-Salem State University
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The bombastic sports news analyst and pundit has been outspoken on nearly any and every topic under the sun, making sure his name resonates for better or for worse. His abrasive, in-your-face style of speaking has inspired countless imitators.
Pictured: Smith looks on before the 2020 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Feb. 14, 2020, in Chicago.
19. Wanda Sykes, Hampton University
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The actress, writer and comedienne has never been one to hold her tongue and has emerged as a leading vice defending Black Hollywood. Most notably, Sykes quit working on the TV show “Roseanne” after star Roseanne Barr compared a former high-ranking Black government official to an ape.
Pictured: Sykes attends Tiffany Haddish Black Mitzvah at SLS Hotel on Dec. 3, 2019, in Beverly Hills.
20. Oprah Winfrey, Tennessee State University
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This is Oprah. Nothing more needs to be said.
Pictured: Winfrey speaks during Oprah’s 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus Tour presented by WW (Weight Watchers Reimagined) at Chase Center on Feb. 22, 2020, in San Francisco.
