Tuskegee University, one of the most prominent HBCUs in the nation, has cultivated alumni who go on to change the world. From media and television to politics and government, Tuskegee alumni always find a way to make a difference in our nation.
Here's a rundown of three Tuskegee University alumni and their contributions to society.
Keenan Ivory Wayans
Keenan Ivory Wayans and his family have been making people laugh for over 30 years. A gifted actor, comedian, and director, Wayans is behind some of the most iconic television shows and movies.
Wayans, the second oldest of 10 children, was born in Harlem, New York. He received a scholarship to study engineering at Tuskegee University. Wyans constantly entertained his friends at school by telling them made-up stories about living in New York. He left school one semester before graduating to pursue a career in comedy. While at Tuskegee, he became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Wayans met Robert Townsend, who gave him insight into the comedy industry, while he was doing improv in New York. After relocating to Los Angeles, Wayans started acting and starred in the television series Love and Honor. Alongside Townsend, Wayans co-wrote and co-starred in Hollywood Shuffle. He was able to finance I'm Gonna Git You Sucka because of the movie's success.
Wayans received an offer to develop his own show from Fox Broadcasting Company. He had an idea for a Saturday Night Live-style variety show that included a cast of people of color. Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the show In Living Color. In Living Color ran on Fox from 1990 to 1994. Wayans and several of his siblings, including Damon, Kim, Shawn, and Marlon, were featured in the show. On In Living Color, a number of up-and-coming comedians and performers, such as T'Keyah Crystal Keymah, Jim Carrey, Tommy Davidson, Jamie Foxx, and David Alan Grier, got their start. Former dancers turned actresses Jennifer Lopez and Carrie Ann Inaba began their careers as part of the dance troupe The Fly Girls, which was choreographed by actress Rosie Perez.
A Low-Down Dirty Shame, The Five Heartbeats, Scary Movie 1 & 2, Little Man, and White Chicks are just a few of the beloved comedies that Wayans has written, produced, and directed.
Lionel Richie
Record producer, singer, songwriter, and TV personality Lionel Richie is a legend in the music industry. He is most recognized for being the co-lead vocalist and songwriter for the musical group the Commodores.
Richie was born in Tuskegee, Alabama. Being a talented tennis player as a child, he was awarded a scholarship to study at the Tuskegee Institute, which is now Tuskegee University. Richie was part of both the Marching Crimson Pipers marching band and Kappa Kappa Psi, a national honor band fraternity, while he was a student at Tuskegee. Richie received a bachelor's degree in economics with a minor in accounting from Tuskegee.
Richie thought about studying divinity to become a priest, but he eventually decided he wasn't “priest material” and decided to become a musician instead. The Commodores' original members first got together as freshmen at Tuskegee when the Mystics and Jays, two former student organizations, merged. In 1972, the Commodores signed with Motown and became well-known after opening for the Jackson 5 while on tour. The Commodores' greatest hits include Brick House, Nightshift, Three Times a Lady, and Easy.
In 1982, Richie left the group to focus on his solo career. Truly, Stuck on You and All Night Long are just a few of the successful records that Richie released throughout his solo career. He has four Grammy Awards and more than 100 million records sold. For his song “Say You, Say Me,” he also received a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. Richie was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. He currently serves as a judge on American Idol after joining the cast in 2018.
Tom Joyner
Toma Joyner is a well-known radio personality, host, philanthropist, and former musician. He is best known as the former host of the nationally syndicated radio show, The Tom Joyner Morning Show.
Following his family’s legacy of attending an HBCU, Joyner graduated from Tuskegee with a degree in sociology. While at Tuskegee, he became a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. His first passion being music, he joined the group the Commodores alongside friend Lionel Richie. Joyner left the group after his family encouraged him to leave due to lack of money.
Joyner was active in college radio and started his broadcasting career in Montgomery, Alabama, right after graduating. He worked at many radio stations in the Midwest and South, including Dallas, Memphis, and St. Louis, before relocating to Chicago in early 1978.
Joyner was signed by ABC Radio Networks in 1994 to host The Tom Joyner Morning Show, a nationally syndicated program that featured Joyner and a group of comedians and commentators reporting and discussing the day's sports and news while playing popular R&B songs from the 1970s to 1990s and current R&B hits. Celebrity guests, on-site remotes (referred to as “Sky Shows”), and the currently unaired soap drama It's Your World were also included.
In 2005, Joyner became the host of The Tom Joyner Show, a nationally syndicated television program that combined sketch comedy with the Tom Joyner Show Players (his co-hosts from the radio show), talent competitions, and musical performances by artists like Toni Braxton, Brian McKnight, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Patti LaBelle, and Earth, Wind, and Fire. Advertisers including McDonald's, Chrysler Corporation, Walmart, and Southwest Airlines were drawn to the program.
Taking advantage of the Tom Joyner Morning Show's success, Joyner established the Tom Joyner Foundation. Through student scholarships, endowment, and capacity development improvements, the foundation aims to support HBCUs. Scholarship funds from ‘Dollars for Scholars' totaled $20,000 in the first month of the foundation's existence. It has generated almost $65 million to support HBCU students since 1998.
