Hampton’s 2023 Homecoming was truly another one for the books. However, the celebration of Hampton University’s legacy extends beyond the Homecoming festivities. Graduates of the university have continued to embrace the standard of excellence through their impact in various industries. Here are 10 influential Hampton graduates that have cultivated change.
(1) Booker T. Washington
There is no list of influential Hampton graduates that doesn’t include Booker T. Washington. Following his graduation, he worked in administration and soon helped found the Tuskegee Institute in 1881. Washington was an educator, author, and even an adviser for some U.S. presidents.
(2) Robert Abbott
Robert Abbott graduated from both Hampton and Kent Law School. He went on to create the Chicago Defender in 1905, which became a leading newspaper about social injustices against Black people and made Abbott one of the first Black millionaires in the U.S.
(3) John H. Sengstacke
John Herman Henry Sengstacke is a 1934 graduate who would later be a civil rights activist, newspaper publisher, and owner of the largest chain of Black newspapers in the U.S. In 1940, Sengstacke founded the National Newspaper Publishers Association which aimed to uplift Black-owned newspapers.
(4) Percy Sutton
Percy Ellis Sutton was a notable activist, business leader, and lawyer. Ellis’ academic career involved three historically Black colleges, one of which was the Hampton Institute. He became a Freedom Rider and the legal representative for Malcolm X. Ellis became the Manhattan borough president in 1966, making him the highest-ranking Black elected official in New York. He also invested in the New York Amsterdam News and the Apollo Theater.
(5) Alberta Williams King
Alberta Williams King is one of the most prominent figures in the Civil Right Movement, but before that, she graduated from Hampton in 1924. Aside from her work as an activist, King also had a teaching certificate but ended up focusing on the church and her children.
(6) Mary Jackson
If you’re familiar with the film Hidden Figures, you should know Mary Jackson who was played by Janelle Monae. Jackson is a 1942 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in math and physical science. As portrayed in the film, she went on to become a mathematician and aerospace engineer at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NASA).
(7) Sylvia Trent Adams
Sylvia Trent Adams is a 1987 graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She’s the first Black nurse to become the acting Surgeon General of the U.S.
(8) Robi Reed
Robi Reed is another graduate who became a casting director. Her first job was for Spike Lee’s School Daze. From there, Reed became a well known casting director and producer with credit for casting Soul Food, Love Jones, In Living Color, Girlfriends and more.
(9) Ruth E. Carter
Ruth E. Carter is a 1982 graduate who became a renowned costume designer for film and TV. She’s the first Black nominee and winner for Best Costume Design as well as the first Black woman to win several Academy Awards ever. Carter’s work is featured in Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Spike Lee’s Malcolm X, Selma, and more.
(10) Mo’Ne Davis
Mo’Ne Davis is a very recent Hampton graduate but has already made an impact in the sports industry. Davis was the first girl to earn a win and throw a shutout in the 2014 Little League World Series. She’s also the first Little League baseball player to graze the cover of Sports Illustrated.