Notable Alumni of Southern University and A & M College

Murphy J. Foster 1930–2020

53rd Governor of Louisiana

Juris Doctor

Also attended: Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, Southern University Law Center

Cleo Fields 1962–

US Representative from Louisiana

Juris Doctor, Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1987

Also attended: Southern University Law Center

William J. Jefferson 1947–

Former U.S. Representative from Louisiana

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1969

Also attended: Georgetown University, Harvard University

Robert L. Williams 1868–1948

Third Governor of Oklahoma

Also attended: Birmingham-Southern College

Russel L. Honoré 1947–

Retired US Army lieutenant general, former First Army commander

Bachelor of Science · Vocational agriculture

Also attended: Troy University

Joe N. Ballard 1942–

Army lieutenant general, first African-American Chief of Engineers

Bachelor's degree · Electrical engineering

Also attended: Missouri University of Science and Technology

David Bolen 1923–2022

Olympic sprinter, diplomat and businessman

Also attended: University of Colorado Boulder, Harvard University

Kip Holden 1952–2025

Mayor-President of Baton Rouge from 2005 to 2016

Also attended: Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, Southern University Law Center

Dorothy A. Brown 1953–

Former clerk of Cook County Circuit Court

Also attended: DePaul University, Illinois Institute of Technology

Ledricka Thierry 1978–

Louisiana state representative and lawyer

Also attended: Southern University Law Center

Isiah Leggett 1944–

Former Montgomery County Executive, Maryland

Also attended: Howard University

D'Army Bailey 1941–2015

Judge, civil rights activist and actor

Also attended: Yale University, Clark University

C. Denise Marcelle

Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives

Avon Honey 1947–2010

Louisiana state representative

Diana Bajoie 1948–

First African American woman in Louisiana Senate

Sherian Cadoria 1940–

First black female general in the US Army

Bachelor of Science · Business education

Also attended: University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

Annette Eddie-Callagain 1953–

First African American attorney to practice law in Japan

Bachelor of Science · Business education · Class of 1975

Also attended: Southern University Law Center

Chuck Espy 1975–

Former mayor of Clarksdale, Mississippi

Jim Ovia 1951–

Nigerian businessman, founder of Zenith Bank

Also attended: University of Louisiana--Monroe, Harvard University

Michelle Amos 1950–

NASA Kennedy Space Center electronics design engineer

Carla Cotwright-Williams 1973–

Mathematician and Department of Defense data scientist

Also attended: California State University--Long Beach, University of Mississippi

Muhammad Akaro Mainoma 1965–

Nigerian professor and former university vice chancellor

Also attended: University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Betty Harris 1940–

Chemist known for explosives research at Los Alamos

Also attended: Clark Atlanta University, University of New Mexico-Main Campus

Lucius Barker 1928–2020

Political scientist and Washington University professor

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Isiah M. Warner 1946–

Chemist and professor at Louisiana State University

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Jewel Prestage 1931–2014

Political scientist, first Black woman with political science doctorate

Bachelor's degree · Political science

Also attended: University of Iowa

Common 1972–

Rapper and actor known as Common

Also attended: Florida A&M University

Father: Lonnie Lynn (Upper Iowa University)

Randy Jackson 1956–

American Idol judge, bassist and record executive

David Banner 1974–

Rapper, record producer and actor

Also attended: University of Maryland--Eastern Shore

Kidd Jordan 1935–2023

Jazz saxophonist and music educator

O. C. Smith 1932–2001

Singer known for Little Green Apples

Andrea R. Canaan 1950–

Black feminist writer, poet and activist

Bachelor of Social Work

Also attended: University of San Francisco, University of New Orleans, Tulane University of Louisiana

Willie Birch 1942–

Visual artist and university teacher from New Orleans

Bachelor's degree · Class of 1969

Also attended: Maryland Institute College of Art

Reginald Veal 1963–

Jazz bassist from New Orleans

James Black 1940–1988

New Orleans jazz drummer

Rob49 1999–

Rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana

Isiah Carey 1970–

Television broadcast journalist

Also attended: University of Louisiana--Lafayette

Willie Davenport 1943–2002

American sprinter and bobsledder

Rod Milburn 1950–1997

1972 Olympic 110m hurdles champion

Bob Love 1942–2024

Former NBA Chicago Bulls player and motivational speaker

Bachelor of Science · Nutritional science

Avery Johnson 1965–

Basketball player, coach and analyst

Also attended: New Mexico Junior College, Cameron University

Lou Brock 1939–2020

MLB left fielder, mostly with the St. Louis Cardinals

Bobby Phills 1969–2000

NBA guard for the Cavaliers and Hornets

Harold Carmichael 1949–

NFL wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles

Brian Johnson 1980–

Long jumper, 2006 U.S. outdoor champion

Aeneas Williams 1968–

Former NFL cornerback and safety

Leonard White 1971–

Former professional basketball player

José De León 1992–

Puerto Rican MLB pitcher

Frankie Sanders 1957–

Former pro basketball player, 1978 NBA draft pick

Robert Holmes 1945–2018

Football running back for the Kansas City Chiefs

Tommie Green 1956–2015

Former NBA point guard for the New Orleans Jazz

Fred Lewis 1980–

Former MLB outfielder for the San Francisco Giants

Rufus Porter 1965–

Former NFL linebacker

Danny Johnson 1995–

Professional football cornerback

Mack Lee Hill 1940–1965

Fullback for the Kansas City Chiefs

Perry Brooks 1954–2010

NFL defensive tackle for the Washington Redskins

Joe Pittman 1954–2014

Major League Baseball infielder and outfielder

Bennie Adams 1967–

NBA referee

Sid Williams 1942–

NFL linebacker and former diplomat

Spouse: Maxine Waters (California State University-Los Angeles)

Edward Thomas 1919–2015

One of Houston Police Department's first African American officers