Bowie State University Announces Michael Eric Dyson as Spring 2026 Commencement Speaker

(BOWIE, Md.) - Bowie State University is proud to announce that renowned scholar, author and activist Michael Eric Dyson, Ph.D. will deliver the keynote address for its Spring 2026 Commencement. The ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 22, at Bowie State's Bulldog Stadium.

Dr. Dyson is one of the nation's most influential voices on culture, race, religion and politics. At Vanderbilt University, he currently serves as a distinguished university professor of African American and diaspora studies in the College of Arts & Science, a distinguished university professor of ethics and society in the Divinity School, and NEH Centennial chair. Over the course of his career, he has taught at leading institutions including Brown University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Columbia University, DePaul University, the University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown University.

An award-winning author of more than 25 books, Dr. Dyson has written extensively on African American culture and leadership, with seven titles reaching The New York Times bestseller list. His honors include the 2020 Langston Hughes Medal, American Book Award, Southern Book Award and two NAACP Image Awards for nonfiction.

Dr. Dyson's work explores the intersections of history, faith, social justice and popular culture. His best-selling books examine such figures as Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Tupac Shakur, Marvin Gaye and Barack Obama. His writing is praised for combining rigorous scholarship with moral clarity and cultural insight.

In addition to his academic career, Dr. Dyson is an ordained minister and a nationally recognized media commentator. He has appeared on major radio and television programs such as NPR, Good Morning America and CNN and has served as a political analyst for MSNBC and columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times.

A native of Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Dyson graduated magna cum laude from Carson-Newman College with a bachelor's degree in philosophy. He earned a Ph.D. in religion from Princeton University.

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About Bowie State University
Founded in 1865, Bowie State University is the first Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in Maryland and one of the ten oldest in the country. Bowie State has earned the 'Research College and University' designation in the 2025 Carnegie Research Activity Classification. As a leading institution of higher learning, Bowie State University offers more than 65 bachelor's, master's, doctoral and certificate programs across arts and sciences, technology, business, education, healthcare and related disciplines. The university provides high-quality and affordable educational opportunities in a supportive environment that empowers students to think critically, make new discoveries, value differences and emerge as leaders in a highly technical, rapidly changing global society. For more information about Bowie State University, visit bowiestate.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Stacie Burgess, [email protected], 301-860-4311