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Biden among notable names to visit Atlanta for graduations this weekend

By AJC Staff
Updated May 15, 2024

Several big names are coming to Atlanta this weekend to participate in college commencement ceremonies.

Gospel music superstar Kirk Franklin is the scheduled keynote speaker at Morris Brown College’s ceremony Saturday morning at Big Bethel AME Church in Atlanta. Also Saturday morning, Clark Atlanta University and Oglethorpe University are holding their commencement ceremonies. Clark Atlanta faculty member Daniel Black will be the headline speaker at its ceremony. WABE-FM host Rose Scott is Oglethorpe’s commencement speaker.

Multi-Grammy Award winner Kirk Franklin performed during the ONE Musicfest on Sunday, October 10, 2021. Franklin is the scheduled commencement speaker for Morris Brown College. Miguel Martinez for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Credit: Miguel Martinez for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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Credit: Miguel Martinez for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Sunday morning, President Joe Biden is attending Morehouse College’s commencement and will be its speaker. That ceremony will be on its campus.

Later that afternoon, Spelman College will hold its commencement. The scheduled speaker is acclaimed actress Angela Bassett, who is best known for her role as Queen Ramonda in the Black Panther films. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson will receive an honorary degree from Spelman. That ceremony will take place at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park.

Angela Bassett became the first person to earn an Oscar acting nomination for a Marvel movie for her role as Queen Ramonda in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” (Marvel Studios/TNS)

Credit: TNS

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Credit: TNS

The commencement season in metro Atlanta will continue into early June. The Savannah College of Art & Design, which has a campus in Atlanta, is holding its ceremony on June 2. Actor Rob Lowe is the speaker.

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