Queen Latifah To Inspire Thousands At North Carolina A&T Graduation Ceremonies

April 14, 2026

Queen Latifah’s heading to North Carolina A&T in May to deliver commencement speeches to nearly 2,000 undergraduates.

Queen Latifah is heading to North Carolina A&T this May to inspire nearly two thousand undergraduates walking across the stage.

The legendary performer, producer, and cultural icon will deliver keynote addresses at both baccalaureate ceremonies on Saturday, May 9, at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, speaking to students from six different colleges across the university.

This isn’t her first time stepping into the commencement speaker role, and her track record shows she’s built a reputation for connecting with graduates on real terms.

Back in 2004, Queen Latifah became one of the first Hip-Hop artists to deliver a commencement address at Delaware State University, setting a precedent that has followed her throughout her career.

She’s returned to that stage multiple times since then, including appearances at Rutgers University-Newark in 2018 and Strayer University that same year, where she told graduates to “never stop growing.”

Her message has always centered on resilience, authenticity, and the importance of staying grounded in who you are, no matter how far you climb.

The woman taking the stage at A&T has earned every accolade imaginable.

She became the first Hip-Hop artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006, and her resume spans music, film, and television in ways that few artists have managed.

She’s got seven Grammy nominations under her belt, including a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1994, plus an Academy Award nomination for her role in “Chicago” and a National Medal of the Arts from the U.S. government in 2024.

She was honored at the Kennedy Center in 2023, and she’s currently the executive producer and star of the CBS reboot of “The Equalizer,” which ran for five seasons and became a top-rated scripted series upon its 2021 premiere.

Her film and television work spans decades, from “Living Single” in the nineties to recent projects like voicing Ellie, the woolly mammoth, in “Ice Age: Boiling Point,” which hits theaters February 5, 2027.

According to North Carolina A&T, the ceremonies will be livestreamed for those who can’t attend in person, and nearly 350 graduate students will also participate in separate ceremonies on Friday, May 8.

Her presence at A&T represents more than just a celebrity appearance.

It’s a statement about the value of celebrating Black excellence in education, something Latifah has consistently championed throughout her career.

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