27 Notable alumni of
Alabama State University
Updated:
Alabama State University is 1328th in the world, 478th in North America, and 448th in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 27 notable alumni from Alabama State University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Rosa Parks
- Occupations
- civil rights advocatepolitical activistpublic figurehuman rights activistautobiographer
- Biography
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Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was an American activist in the civil rights movement best known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery bus boycott. The United States Congress has honored her as "the first lady of civil rights" and "the mother of the freedom movement". Parks became an NAACP activist in 1943, participating in several high-profile civil rights campaigns. On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Parks rejected bus driver James F. Blake's order to vacate a row of four seats in the "colored" section in favor of a white passenger, once the "white" section was filled. Parks was not the first person to resist bus segregation, but the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) believed that she was the best candidate for seeing through a court challenge after her arrest for civil disobedience in violating Alabama segregation laws, and she helped inspire the Black community to boycott the Montgomery buses for over a year. The case became bogged down in the state courts, but the federal Montgomery bus lawsuit Browder v. Gayle resulted in a November 1956 decision that bus segregation is unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
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Lil Yachty
- Occupations
- songwritersingerrecord produceractorrapper
- Biography
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Miles Parks McCollum, known professionally as Lil Yachty, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He first gained recognition in August 2015 for his viral hit "One Night" from his debut EP Summer Songs. He then released his debut mixtape Lil Boat in March 2016, and signed a joint venture record deal with Motown, Capitol Records, and Quality Control Music in June of that year.
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2 Chainz
- Occupations
- rappersongwriterbasketball player
- Biography
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Tauheed K. Epps, known professionally as 2 Chainz (formerly Tity Boi), is an American rapper. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he initially gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Playaz Circle, alongside fellow hometown rapper Earl "Dolla Boy" Conyers. The duo was signed to fellow Georgia-based rapper Ludacris' Disturbing tha Peace label and became best known for their 2007 debut single "Duffle Bag Boy" (featuring Lil Wayne).
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Tarana Burke
- Occupations
- feministmilitantcelebrityteacher
- Biography
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Tarana Burke is an American activist from New York City, who started the MeToo movement. In 2006, Burke began using MeToo to help other women with similar experiences to stand up for themselves. Over a decade later, in 2017, #MeToo became a viral hashtag when Alyssa Milano and other women began using it to tweet about the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse cases. The phrase and hashtag quickly developed into a broad-based, and eventually international movement.
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Rickey Smiley
- Occupations
- actorpresenterradio personality
- Biography
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Broderick Dornell Smiley is an American stand-up comedian, television host, actor, and radio personality, known for his prank phone calls. The calls feature Smiley disguising his voice and carrying on a conversation with the recipient of the call. He is the host of the nationally syndicated Rickey Smiley Morning Show based in Atlanta from its flagship affiliate WHTA "Hot 107.9". Smiley starred in a sitcom, The Rickey Smiley Show, which aired on TV One. He is also a featured columnist on the Fox-produced tabloid nationally-syndicated TV show Dish Nation. In 2015, Smiley started appearing on Rickey Smiley For Real, a reality television series about his life.
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Ralph Abernathy
- Enrolled in Alabama State University
- In 1948 graduated with Bachelor of Science in mathematics
- Occupations
- civil rights advocatepoliticiantheologianhuman rights activistChristian minister
- Biography
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Ralph David Abernathy Sr. was an American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was ordained in the Baptist tradition in 1948. As a leader of the civil rights movement, he was a close friend and mentor of Martin Luther King Jr. He collaborated with King and E. D. Nixon to create the Montgomery Improvement Association, which led to the Montgomery bus boycott and co-created and was an executive board member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). He became president of the SCLC following the assassination of King in 1968; he led the Poor People's Campaign in Washington, D.C., as well as other marches and demonstrations for disenfranchised Americans. He also served as an advisory committee member of the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE).
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Clarence Carter
- Occupations
- singersinger-songwriterrecord producer
- Biography
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Clarence George Carter is an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. His most successful songs include "Slip Away", "Back Door Santa" (both released 1968), "Patches" (1970) and "Strokin'" (1986).
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Felix da Housecat
- Occupations
- composerdisc jockeyclub DJrecord producer
- Biography
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Felix da Housecat is an American DJ and record producer, mostly known for house music and electro. Felix is regarded as a member of the second wave of Chicago house.
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Coco Montrese
- Occupations
- drag queen
- Biography
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Coco Montrese is the stage name of Lenwood Martin Cooper, an American drag queen, entertainer, and reality television personality. Montrese came into the spotlight after being crowned Miss Gay America 2010 when Alyssa Edwards' title was revoked. She subsequently appeared on RuPaul's Drag Race season 5 as well as RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars Season 2.
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Jesse White
- Occupations
- politicianbaseball player
- Biography
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Jesse Clark White is an American educator, politician and former athlete from the State of Illinois. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 37th Secretary of State of Illinois from 1999 to 2023. He was the longest-serving American to hold this office. A popular office holder, White declined to seek reelection in 2022 for a seventh term. Previously, he served as the Cook County Recorder of Deeds from 1993 to 1999 and in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1975 to 1993.
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Eugene Sawyer
- Enrolled in Alabama State University
- Graduated with chemistry
- Occupations
- politicianteacher
- Biography
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Eugene Sawyer Jr. was an American businessman, educator, and politician. Sawyer was selected by the Chicago City Council as the 53rd Mayor of Chicago, Illinois after the sudden death of then–mayor Harold Washington. Sawyer served for the remainder of the term, from December 2, 1987 until April 24, 1989. A member of the Democratic Party, Sawyer was an alderman, and the second African-American to serve as mayor of Chicago.
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Fred Gray
- Occupations
- juristlawyer
- Biography
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Fred David Gray is an American civil rights attorney, preacher, activist, and state legislator from Alabama. He handled many prominent civil rights cases, such as Browder v. Gayle, and was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1970, along with Thomas Reed, both from Tuskegee. They were the first black state legislators in Alabama in the 20th century. He served as the president of the National Bar Association in 1985, and in 2001 was elected as the first African-American President of the Alabama State Bar.
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Reggie Barlow
- Occupations
- player of American football
- Biography
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Reggie Devon Barlow is a former American football player and coach who is currently the head coach for the DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL). Barlow served as the head football coach at Alabama State University from 2007 to 2014 and at Virginia State University from 2016 to 2021. He played professionally as wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons, five for the Jacksonville Jaguars, two for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and one with the Oakland Raiders. He was used as a secondary wide receiver and punt returner. In 1997, Barlow led the NFL in punt return yards with 555 yards on 43 returns.
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Frederick D. Reese
- Years
- 1929-2018 (aged 89)
- Occupations
- teacher
- Biography
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Frederick Douglas Reese was an American civil rights activist, educator and minister from Selma, Alabama. Known as a member of Selma's "Courageous Eight", Reese was the president of the Dallas County Voters League (DCVL) when it invited the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Martin Luther King Jr. to Selma to amplify the city's local voting rights campaign. This campaign eventually gave birth to the Selma to Montgomery marches, which later led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act.
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Erskine Hawkins
- Occupations
- jazz musiciancomposerconductorbandleadertrumpeter
- Biography
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Erskine Ramsay Hawkins was an American trumpeter and big band leader from Birmingham, Alabama, dubbed "The 20th Century Gabriel". He is best remembered for composing the jazz standard "Tuxedo Junction" (1939) with saxophonist and arranger Bill Johnson. The song became a hit during World War II, rising to No. 7 nationally (version by the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra) and to No. 1 nationally (version by the Glenn Miller Orchestra). Vocalists who were featured with Erskine's orchestra include Ida James, Delores Brown, and Della Reese. Hawkins was named after Alabama industrialist Erskine Ramsay.
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Theodora Lacey
- Occupations
- teacher
- Biography
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Theodora Smiley Lacey is an American civil rights activist and educator. She helped organize the Montgomery bus boycott, fought for voting rights and fair housing, and helped lead the effort to integrate schools in New Jersey.
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Esonica Veira
- Occupations
- beauty pageant contestantmodel
- Biography
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Esonica Veira is a US Virgin Islander model and beauty queen who won the title of Miss Universe US Virgin Islands 2017 and represented the US Virgin Islands at the Miss Universe 2017 pageant on November 26, 2017 in Las Vegas. Esonica was also appointed to be her territory's representative for Miss Earth 2014. Prior to joining Miss Earth, Esonica already represented her country in the Miss World 2011 pageant held in London, UK. After her Miss World participation, she was once again selected to compete in Miss Supranational 2013 in Minsk, Belarus.
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T. J. Jemison
- Occupations
- religious servantcivil rights advocate
- Biography
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Theodore Judson Jemison, better known as T. J. Jemison, was the president of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. from 1982 to 1994. It is the largest African-American religious organization. He oversaw the construction of the Baptist World Center in Nashville, Tennessee, the headquarters of his convention.
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Quinton Ross
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Quinton T. Ross Jr. is an American politician who is the 15th and current president of Alabama State University. A Democrat, Ross served as a member of the Alabama Senate from 2002 to 2017 and served as the Minority Leader from 2014 to 2017.
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Gwendolyn Boyd
- Years
- 1954-.. (age 70)
- Occupations
- academic
- Biography
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Gwendolyn Elizabeth Boyd is an American scientist and university administrator. She served as president of Alabama State University from 2014 to 2016, and was previously national president of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority from 2000 to 2004. Before entering administration she worked as a mechanical engineer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
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Jylan Ware
- Occupations
- player of American football
- Biography
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Jylan Ware is a former American football offensive tackle. He played college football at Alabama State, and was drafted in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders.
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Terry Greer
- Occupations
- player of American footballCanadian football player
- Biography
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Terry Greer is a former professional American and Canadian football player who played wide receiver with the Canadian Football League Toronto Argonauts and the NFL Cleveland Browns as well as the San Francisco 49ers. He held the CFL record for most catches in a season; he is a member of the Argonauts all-time team and his #10 has been honored by the team. Terry Greer was the first to gain 2,000 yards receiving in a professional football season.
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Mary Fair Burks
- Occupations
- literary critic
- Biography
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Mary Fair Burks was an American educator, scholar, and activist during the Civil Rights Movement from Montgomery, Alabama. Burks founded the Women’s Political Council in 1946, which helped initiate the Montgomery Bus Boycott following the arrest of Rosa Parks in 1955.
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Tonya Anderson
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Tonya Peterson Anderson is an American pastor and politician who serves in the Georgia State Senate. She previously served in the Georgia House of Representatives, from 2013 to 2015. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
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Natashia Holmes
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Natashia Holmes is an American politician who served as the alderman of the 7th ward of the City of Chicago. Holmes was appointed by the Chicago City Council and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, replacing Sandi Jackson, who resigned in January 2013 due to personal and legal problems. Holmes was sworn in on February 13, 2013.
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Rudy Hobbs
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Rudy Hobbs is an American politician from the state of Michigan. He is a member of the Democratic Party and a former member of Michigan House of Representatives.
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Gregg Northington
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Greggory D. "Poncho" Northington was an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Murray State College Aggies, Paul Quinn Tigers and Alabama State Hornets. Northington was selected in the 1971 NBA draft by the New York Knicks and the 1972 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers but did not play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He instead played professionally in Mexico, France and the Netherlands.
