TOUGALOO, MISSISSIPPI — Early Sunday morning, before the cords were straightened and the gowns zipped up, the air on Tougaloo’s campus shimmered with anticipation. Beneath the sacred trees, graduates and guests alike gathered on the Campus Green for a rite of passage generations in the making. The moss hung low, as if bowing to the moment, and eagles soared above, keeping solemn watch.
Tougaloo College — a wellspring of courage, intellect, and Black resilience — held its 2025 Commencement Ceremony with all the grace and gravity such a legacy demands. The moment marked both an arrival and a departure: a farewell to student hood and a bold welcome to what lies beyond.
Baccalaureate: A Prelude in Praise and Purpose
The days’s ceremonies began in the sanctuary of Woodworth Chapel, where stained glass cast kaleidoscopic light across pews filled with family, faculty, and friends. The sacred space, steeped in history and hope, rang with music, prayer, and purpose.
The Tougaloo College Concert Choir delivered a breathtaking performance of “He’s the Lily of the Valley,” filling the chapel with the kind of peace and power that only gospel music can summon.
Reverend Cassius Rudolph, Senior Pastor of Saints’ Memorial Community Church in Willingboro, NJ, followed with a soaring homily that reminded each graduate of their divine worth and their ancestral power:
“And now, go forth in courage, knowing that your voice matters. Go forth in compassion. Standing on the legacy of Tougaloo College, a place where justice was pursued, truth was spoken, and leaders are shaped. Go forth in confidence because you are somebody. Somebody formed by God, somebody strengthened by the struggle, and somebody equipped to change the world.”
Commencement: A Crown of Legacy, A Launch into Destiny
As sunlight rose over the Campus Green, the ceremony unfolded not only as a celebration, but as a coronation — a moment of elevation for minds sharpened, hearts expanded, and futures waiting.
Three esteemed honorees were awarded Honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters, each representing a living chapter in the ongoing Tougaloo story:
- The Honorable Jasmine Crockett, Congresswoman for Texas’ 30th District, was honored for her fearless advocacy and moral clarity in the halls of American democracy. (Presented by Dr. Donzell Lee and Congressman Bennie G. Thompson)
- Douglas MacArthur Cotton, civil rights icon and freedom fighter, whose lifelong commitment to justice shaped the arc of history. (Presented by Dr. Donzell Lee and Derrick Johnson, President of the NAACP)
- Ambassador Jeremiah C. Sulunteh, Liberian diplomat and statesman, recognized for his enduring commitment to global equity and diplomacy. (Presented by Trustee Shirlethia Franklin and Dr. Donzell Lee)
Then, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett stepped to the podium and delivered a keynote address that stirred the soul and stirred the crowd. Her words landed with prophetic weight and radical clarity:
“My charge to you is to understand that your moment is not in the future, your moment is now. This country is relying on each and every one of you to walk into your purpose and to walk in greatness with your head held high.”
— The Honorable Jasmine Crockett, United States Congresswoman, 30th District of Texas
Her message echoed across the Green and into the hearts of every listener — a powerful reminder that the call to lead, to serve, to rise, does not wait.
And it is here, where history meets the future, that the next generation takes its place.
A Season Ends, A Legacy Lives On
Graduation is not simply a ceremony — it is a threshold. A crossing. A sacred transformation. For the Class of 2025, it marked not just the end of coursework, but the beginning of authorship: of choosing the kind of life, world, and legacy they will create.
Beneath the sacred trees, tears mingled with laughter, and families embraced as faculty looked on with pride. It was a moment of culmination — and of becoming.
“Tougaloo College — built on the grounds of what was once a plantation — now stands as a testament to the power of Black excellence. What was once held in chains cultivates freedom. And what once was full of oppression now grows future doctors, educators, teachers, and agents of change. We are walking proof that seeds planted in struggle can bloom in strength. We are our ancestors’ wildest dreams.”
And as they walked forward — through the moss, beneath the sacred trees, beneath the soaring wings of eagles — the words of Reverend Rudolph still lingered, like incense in the morning air:
“You are somebody. Somebody formed by God, strengthened by the struggle, and equipped to change the world.”
Relive the full ceremony by watching the official livestream:
🎥 Watch the Livestream