Morehouse Commencement 2019 - Part 2

and now we shall move to the conferring of honorary degrees Provost Hodge please join me at the podium mr. president chairman Morehouse will now confer three honorary degrees honoris causa it is my privilege to present to you acclaimed actress Angela Evelyn Bassett for the honorary Doctor of Arts and professor Edmund Wyatt Gordon and philanthropist Robert F Smith for the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters I call your attention to their complete biographical profiles in your program dr. Thomas is Bassett will you please come forward [Music] [Applause] when one is tasked with the glorious opportunity to introduce a friend one who he is held in matchless esteem for countless years such is a glorious prospect in its own right yet the overwhelming question how should I begin hovers in an unrelenting urgency a second question follows in close proximity in what language are there words adequate to render essences of an artistic genius whose thrilling character portrayals give new life to stage and screen this is my dilemma today you see a brand in Shakespeare the majesty of moral law I ran in Langston Hughes the urgency of holding fast to dreams I read in Robert Frost the wisdom of taking the road less traveled I read in Benjamin Mays the power of an air of expectancy I read in Helen Keller the divinity of perseverance I read in Martin Luther King why we can't wait I've read in my Angelou Why the Caged Bird sing and I read in Barack Obama the audacity of hope but it was not until I became conversant with the immense canon of dramatic excellence in film television and stage rendered by my personal friend Angela Bassett that I learned the true value and pristine grandeur of immense talent in various forms of uncompromising greatness so what shall we call her we shall call her by the definition of her name Angela a name that in Greek suggests messenger or angel and in other languages denotes female messenger capable woman and one who is smart strong and beautiful therefore we shall call her amazing actress director and executive producer whose iconic filmography lights up the screen and inspirational when we shall call her profound messenger whose character portrayals transform art back into life and we shall call her the quintessential laureate of multifaceted theatrical vision cutting through time drenched stereotypes that limit artistic truth we can call her certified and well prepared with a Bachelor of Arts degree in afro-american studies and a Master of Fine Arts degree in drama from Yale University while studying under renowned stage director Lloyd Richardson how can we know her we can know her by the impressive register of her work that sanctions the immensity of her talent and genius her numerous honors prestigious awards and major citations decked the landscape of her incredible career like twinkling stars in a summer sky including Academy Award and Emmy Award nominations a Golden Globe Award in double-a-c-p Image Awards and a number of other notable recognitions we shall also know her by her amazing performances as Queen Ramona in Black Panther [Applause] as Athena Carter Greta in 900 Bernardin Harrison waiting to excel as Stella Payne in how Stella got her groove back Reva Devereux in boys in the hood Tanya Anderson in Akeelah and the bee Rosa Parks in the Rosa Parks story mother of slain rapper Christopher biggie Wallace Katherine Jackson in the Jacksons an American dream Khmer in Broadway's the mountaintop and as Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's Hamlet the list is continuous how shall we honor her we shall honor her in Penn optic recognition for the daring infinite UD's of her work that shatter old stereotypes and continue to define and redefine the range of the genius of the mine and the excellence of uncompromising talent we shall honor her for her character portrayals that alter and liberate our own lives with new constructs that trumpet what is now possible and rephrase what was once thought impossible and yes we shall honor her today at Morehouse College during these 2019 commencement exercises with an honorary degree Doctor of Arts [Applause] congratulations dr. Bassett and welcome to the Morehouse family dr. Bassett would also like to make some comments to our graduating good men thank you dr. president Thomas the Morehouse College Board of Trustees for bestowing this tremendous honor upon me congratulations to my fellow doctorate recipients Edmund Gordon and Robert Smith standing in this hallowed place fills my heart with such pride and such gratitude for more than 150 years Morehouse College has been the institution where young black men have been nurtured and groomed to become strong driven fearless resilient leaders of excellence that esteemed group of men of this privileged legacy now includes each and every one of you you work long you've worked hard you've worked smart so what happens now what happens now my brothers is you go into the world and you put everything that you've learned here into practice I believe it was 1944 when a young man named Martin Luther King first arrived on this campus a young student entering on a journey that would take him to Heights that I'm sure he never imagined it was here in this very place where we sit and we stand that he began the transformation into a racially politically and socially conscious he took the walk each of you is about to take to accept your honor of being an accomplished Morehouse man but I don't mention dr. King because I expect you to walk in his shoes I have a different important challenge for you I want you to proudly walk in your own shoes and you know how it is when you put on a new pair of shoes I want you to be uncomfortable I want you to be mindful I want you to be wary I want you to be okay with being imperfect but I also want you to remember that you were designed and born for greatness you have been prepared for leadership you are destined to be men of accomplishment when the world tells you no you remember that no is not a passport to failure rather it's a gateway to infinite possibilities that you hadn't even thought of when the world tells you that you're not good enough you remember that you are sons of kings and queens warriors and leaders prepared for success within an academic universe of men who not only changed the world they made history carry this with you every day not as a sign of vanity or arrogance but as a means to push forward and to claim your place at the table of prosperity and purpose even in the face of life's certain adversity and uncertainty so I ask you what will your transformation be what will you take away from the years spent learning amongst the spirits and the legacies of the magnanimous men who came before you how will you change the world how will you use your power who will you inspire I am extremely honored to receive this honorary Doctorate and to be amongst you today this moment is about you my hope is that our future will be shaped by your dreams and your achievements that you will pave the way for generations of Morehouse men who will be encouraged to do the same when it's their time to push this planet forward the beautiful thing is my brothers that you're not doing it alone you have a whole community of people far and wide who are rooting for you noticing you as you go out into the world today always remember this in the words of the incomparable Maya Angelou what humility does for one is it reminds us there there are people before me I have already been paid for and what I need to do is prepare myself so that I can pay for someone else who is yet to come who may indeed be here and needs me and this Marian Wright Edelman founder president of the Children's Defense Fund once said a lot of people were waiting for Martin Luther King and Mahatma Ghandi to come back but they're gone we are it it is up to us it is up to you it is up to you my proud beautiful brilliant and some Morehouse men take your place in the present prepare yourselves to make history it is your time to win thank you again for this tremendous honor and congratulations Morehouse class of 2019 [Applause] [Applause] I'd also like to take a moment to recognize Angela's family the bass advanced family we're pleased to recognize dr. Bassett as well as Courtney Vance and their children and other members of the Bassett family please stand [Applause] welcome to the Morehouse family good morning my name is David wall rice I'm professor of psychology here at Morehouse College when one reads the impressive biography of Professor Edmund W Gordon certain assumptions are readily articulated he is brilliant he has applied his genius and careful ways and he has demonstrated a love for all and is attending to those who are positioned as the most vulnerable among us these fundamental knowledge claims are cornerstone of the tremendous legacy of Professor Edmund W Gordon accurately casting him as quote a man who's enthusiastic delivery of excellent leadership mentorship and service has transformed the Academy twentieth-century jazz giant John Coltrane offered a powerful mandate in November of 1966 for committed service that today is descriptive of professor Gordon's matchless work we must exert effort to try and to make it better socially musically politically in any department of your life be a force for real good there are forces out here that bring suffering to others and misery to the world be the opposite be the force which is truly for good spanning over seventy years the long and distinguished career of Professor Gordon gives sanction to the excellence of his accomplishments and achievements for real good among them our leading psychologist and expert in education access for marginalized and disadvantaged students professor emeritus at both Yale University and Columbia University author of nearly 200 publications bachelor's degrees in zoology and in divinity and social ethics from Howard University master's degree in social psychology from the American University and a doctorate of Education and child development and guidance from Teachers College Columbia University professor Gordon has served as a minister a clinical and counseling psychologist a research scientist author editor he has taught at Yeshiva University Columbia University Yale University and City University of New York City College he has also served as scholar in residence at the State University of New York's Rockland Community College philosopher Alain Locke mystic Howard Thurman and intellectual freedom multi hype ueb Dubois were personal mentors to Professor Gordon affording acute resonance to his life work in Du Bois as explaining that quote work must be inspired by the right ideals and education must not simply teach work but life based on these ideals over the course of his distinguished career Wright ideals have consistently characterized the work of Professor Gordon who along with his wife dr. Susan get Gordon established the Harriet Tubman clinic for children in Harlem New York later founded the CJIs Institute in Pomona New York as a social justice and research foundation for disenfranchised and otherwise marginalized communities established Gordon Gordon associates and human development where the couple consulted and provided educational expertise across the country in 2014 the University of Texas System Board of Regents approved the naming of the black and Latino Studies building to the Susan G and Edmund W Gordon and Charles and Francis B white building at the University of Texas in Austin because of their tremendous life work professor Gordon continues to be actively involved through service and social impact work with n-double-a-cp the American Civil Liberties Union the Rockland local organizing committee and through countless other efforts but he notes the most significant accomplishment of his and dr. Susan's as having raised children who are good human beings Ted Johanna Crick and Jessica with the above one can understand why professor Gordon has been awarded a number of honorary degrees throughout his career and now in his 98th year of life he will become a Morehouse man as the college is pleased today to honor one who has done so much for so many for so long [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] I would also like to recognize dr. Gordon's family would you please stand [Applause] welcome to the Morehouse family chairman woods ladies and gentlemen it is now my distinct honor to present our final honorary degree recipient this morning to my friend and our commencement speaker Robert F Smith when two plus two equals four that's mathematics when hydrogen bonds with oxygen to produce water that's chemistry when matter plus energy work in tandem that's physics when experience joins philosophical insight that's wisdom when creative genius unites with insightful labor that's da Vinci's painting the Last Supper and when a brilliant engineer in private equity collide you have forbes calling the founder chairman and CEO of fisty vista Equity Partners one of the 100 greatest living business minds that is indisputably Robert F Smith if one attempts to sift through the alchemy of the many acts of selfless service rendered by Robert Smith one will readily see there is no particular single D that meat that may be dumped the pinnacle or hallmark of his philanthropic stewardship his recent gift of one and a half million dollars towards creating both a park and the Robert Frederick Smith Scholars Program at Morehouse is an example of the profound impact he is having and his investment in future leaders for Robert Smith well understands that the greatest prodigality in human endeavor lies in the powers one has not used the talents one has not explored the risk one has not taken and the service one has not given yet most would be satisfied with such laudatory accomplishments as a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering at Cornell University followed by his MBA from Columbia Business School and Beta Gamma Sigma honors and then his work at Kraft General Foods way earned two European patents not so with Robert Smith as one amazing milestone after another has acclaimed his horizon for service Goldman Sachs in tech investment banking first New York Bay in Silicon Valley educating and advising on over fifty billion dollars in merger activities with companies such as Apple Microsoft Texas interest mints eBay and Yahoo founded Vista Equity Partners in 2000 an investment firm that focuses on enterprise software and has 46 billion dollars in cumulative capital commitments taking it's more than 50 portfolio companies altogether Vista is the fourth largest enterprise software company in this world after Microsoft Oracle and sa P founding director and president of the fun - an organization dedicated to preserving the african-american experience safeguarding human rights providing music education preserving the environment while promoting the benefits of the outdoors and sustaining critical American values visionary behind Internet a platform for connecting african-americans with STEM backgrounds to internships in the top companies and organizations in the United States including AT&T JP Morgan and more leader in supporting and driving health equity this is an enduring passion for Robert as he seeks to redress the imbalance and attention resources treatment and cures for african-americans specifically targeting breast cancer with the Susan G Komen and prostate cancer with VA hospitals in Chicago through the prostate cancer foundation it is not surprising then that Robert Smith has been continuously honored as at the highest levels of recognition for business achievements the global philanthropic works and for his incredible service that continues to embrace almost every sector of society these include his present work as chairman of Carnegie Hall chair of the Robert F Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights member of the Board of Overseers of Columbia Business School member of the corneal engineering college council trustee of the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco a sponsor of African American filmmakers 65 episodes of black history in two minutes together with skip gates and be woke volton campaign and Robert recognizes the power of amplifying black voices knowing our history and celebrating artistic expression for advancing our causes the awarding of Robert Smith with an honorary degree Doctor of Humane Letters follows the Morehouse candle award in business and philanthropy that he was awarded in 2018 ladies and gentlemen I give you Robert [Applause] welcome to the Morehouse family Robert I'd like to ask Robert's family to please stand be recognized welcome to the Morehouse family and now ladies and gentlemen it is my pleasure to present to you our commencement speaker for the morning dr. Robert F Smith officially a Morehouse man classmates class of 2019 first of all President Thomas Board of Trustees faculty staff and Morehouse alumni the extraordinary Angela Bassett the distinguished professor dr. Edmund Borden parents grandparents aunts uncles brothers sisters family and friends and most of all to my classmates congratulations earning a college degree is one of the most impressive and greatest accomplishments of life but success as many parents and as hard as each of you have worked in Amity today you've had a lot of help along the way we are all the product of a community a village a team and many of those who've made contributions for you to arrive at this very moment today are with us so first and foremost I'm gonna ask you one more time you're gonna stand up you're gonna turn around and you're gonna celebrate all these people our community our family who are here to celebrate you [Applause] all right come on sit down class we got a lot that we got a long way to go so I want to make sure you got some stretching in so standing here before you is one of the great honors of my life I'm so proud to share with you with my mother dr. Sylvia Smith a lifelong educator and the greatest role model of my life was here me today this is a special week for us we celebrate three graduations this week my niece is graduating from my alma mater Cornell my daughter's graduating from high school and headed off to Barnard this fall my eldest Zooey is graduating from NYU with honors this week she is a fifth generation in my family to graduate from college and the fourth to graduate with honors so first of all I want to thank the Morehouse administration for timing this perfectly so I could attend all of those graduation ceremonies Morehouse was built to demand excellence and spur the advancement and development of african-american men I've always been drawn to its rich history and I'm optimistic for its bright future the brothers from Morehouse I'm back over these years I've revered they understand the power of education the responsibility that comes with it Willie woods chairman of the board he and I've been friends for over 20 years and I want to thank chairman Woods for assembling a great class and a great organization of administrators and faculty to help you young men go forward in our shared history as a people and as a country the Morehouse campus is a special place the path you walked along Brown Brown Street this morning to tea to reach this commencement ceremony was paved by men of intellect and character and determination these men understood that when dr. King said the arc of the moral universe bends towards justice he wasn't saying it bends on its own accord it bends because we choose to put our shoulders into it together and push the degree you earn today is one of the most elite credentials that America has to offer but I don't want you to think about it as a document that hangs on the wall or reflects the accomplishments you've made up to now that degree is a contract it's a social contract it calls on you to devote your talents and energies to honoring those legends on whom shoulders both you and I stand Lord knows you're graduating into a complex world think about we face the last few years of your time here at Morehouse we've seen the rise of black lives matter lending voice to critical issues that have been ignored by too many for too long we've seen the me2 movement shining a spotlight on how far we still have to go to achieve real gender equality we've also seen the unapologetic public airing of hate doctrines by various groups we've seen the implications of climate change become impossible to ignore and become even more severe and our connected world has now to grapple with the new questions about secrecy privacy the role of intelligent machines in our work and in our lives and we've witnessed the very foundation of our political system shaken by the blurring of the sacred line between fact and fiction right and wrong yes this is an uncertain hour for our democracy in our fragile world order but uncertainty is nothing new for our community like many of yours my family has been in these United States for eight or nine generations we have nourished the soil with our blood we've sown the land with our sweat we protected this country with our bodies contributed to the physical cultural and intellectual fabric of this country with our minds in our talent and yet I'm the first generation in my family to have secured all my rights as an American citizen think about it 1865 was the first time most African American families had a hint of access to the greatest until now wealth generating platform in America that's land the Freedmen's Bureau was supposed to deliver 850,000 acres of land to these two formerly enslaved and then that program was cancelled and replaced by the Freedman's Savings Bank which was then looted essentially that recompense was reneged upon we didn't have broad access to the Homestead Act or the southern Homestead Act where indeed 10 percent of America's land was essentially given away for less the filing fee and it was until 1868 after the passing the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the 14th amendment that my family actually had the birthright to be American citizens then when American decided to create a social safety net to have social security in 1935 they created the Social Security program yet that program had one exclusion two categories of people maids and farmworkers which effectively denied benefits to 66 percent of African Americans and 80 percent of southern African Americans it was until 1954 that my family had a right to equal education under the protection of the law with Brown versus Board of Education and while the Fifteenth Amendment gave my family two right to vote the men at least starting in 1890 those rights were rolled back in the south and remained suppressed into the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 even today more than half a century after that the struggle still continues to ensure true integrity at the ballot box all these landmark extensions of our rights and subsequent retrenchments set the stage for new policy of force to segregation utilize and school busing that basically went in effect when I reached the first grade in my hometown of Denver Colorado our family lived in Northeast Denver and back in Denver like most American cities remained extremely divided by race both politically and geographically in my community my neighbors are mostly educated proud hardworking and ambitious they were dentists teachers politicians lawyers Pullman porters contractors small business owners and pharmacists they were focused on serving the african-american community and providing a safe and nurturing environment for the kids in our neighborhood they were on the front lines of the civil rights movement we were sacrificing our sons to the Vietnam War they mourned the death of a king to Kennedys and in an X and despite all they gave they had yet to achieve the fullness of the American dream but they continued to believe that it was only a matter of time and if not for them then surely for their children so I was a small among a small number of kids from my neighborhood who were bused across town to a high-performing predominantly white school in southeast Denver every morning we load it up on bus number 13 I'll never forget it I was taken over to Carson elementary school that policy of busing only lasted to my fifth grade year when intense protests and political pressure brought the end of forced busing but those five years dramatically changed my life the teachers of Carson were extraordinary they embraced me challenged me to think critically and start moving towards my full potential in turn I came to realize at a young age that the white kids the black kids the Jewish kid and that one Asian kid were pretty much all the same it wasn't just a school itself as a community that I lived in that embraced and supported all that we were doing since most of the parents in my neighborhood were working a whole bunch of us walked over to mrs. Brown's house every day after school and stayed there until our parents got home from work mrs. Brown was incredible she kept us safe made sure we did our homework the right way gave us nutritious snacks and taught us about responsibility because our house her house was filled with children of all ages I had suddenly older kids all around me who acted as role models who are studying hard and believed in themselves mrs. Brown also happened to be married to the first black lieutenant governor of our state so we saw the possibilities firsthand amazingly almost every single student bus number 13 went on to become a professional I'm still in touch with many of them as they make up the bedrock of our community today their elected officials doctors lawyers engineers teachers professors community organizers and business leaders an incredible concentration of black men and black women from the same working-class neighborhood yet when I look at the extended community that I lived in and those kids who didn't get a spot on bus number 13 their success rate was far lower and the connection is inescapable everything about my life changed because of those few short years but the window closed for others just as fast as it opened for me and that's the story of the black experience in America getting a fleeting glimpse of opportunity and success just before the window is slammed shut the cycle of resistance to oppression followed by legislation followed by the weakening of that legislation followed by more oppression and more resistance as affected and afflicted every single generation and even as we've seen some of the major barriers come crashing down in recent years we would be doing ourselves a disservice if we didn't acknowledge just how many of these and justices still persist whether you where you live shouldn't determine where you get it whether or not you get educated where you go to school shouldn't determine whether you get textbooks the opportunity to access the opportunity for access should be determined only by the fierceness of your intellect in the current and your creativity and should be fueled by the grit that allows you to overcome expectations of frankly works at high enough we've seen remarkable breakthroughs in medical research yet race-based disparities and health outcomes still exist you're 41 percent more likely to die of breast cancer if you're an african-american woman in America than if you were white you're 2.3 times more likely to die of prostate cancer for an African man than if you were white if you are African American you're more likely to be stopped by the police more likely to be issued a ticket when you're stopped more likely to be threatened with force than when you're a white that's our reality this is the world you were inheriting now I'm telling you things I don't want you to think that I'm bitter nor do I want you to be bitter I call upon you to make things better because the great lesson of my life is that despite the challenges we face America is truly an extraordinary country and our world is getting smaller by the day and you are equipped with every tool to make it your own today for the first time in human history success requires no prerequisite of wealth or capital no ownership of land or natural resources or people today success can be created solely through the power of one's mind ideas encourage intellectual capital can be cultivated monetized and instantaneously distributed across the globe intellectual capital has become the new currency of Business and Finance and the promise of brain power to move people from poverty to prosperity in one generation has never been more possible technology the world that I live in is creating a whole new set of on-ramps to the 21st century economy and together we will help assure that the african-american community will acquire the tech skills and be the beneficiaries in a sector that is being automated black men understand that securing the bag just as the beginning that success is only real if our community is protected our potential is realized and of our most valuable assets our people find strength in owning the businesses that provide economic stability in our community this is your moment graduates between doubt and destiny is action between our community and the American Dream is leadership that's your leadership that's your destiny this doesn't mean ignoring injustice it means using your strengths to write order and when you were confronted with racism listen to the words of guy Johnson the son of Maya Angelou who once wrote racism is like gravity you got to just keep pushing a get it against it without spending too much time thinking about it so how do you seize your American dream let me get specific and give you a few rules to live by because I understand that once you cross a stage we may not be able to tell you much rule number one you need to know that nothing replaces actually doing the work whatever young person tells me they aspire to be an entrepreneur the first question I ask him is why for many they think it's all a great way to get rich quick I'm gonna write an app gonna build a company make a few million dollars before I'm 25 look that can happen but frankly that's awfully rare the usual scenario is that successful entrepreneurs spend endless hours days years toiling away for little time little pay and zero glamour and in all honesty that's where the joy of success actually resides before I ever got into private equity I was a chemical engineer and I spent pretty much every waking hour in windowless labs during the worked that helped me become an expert in my field it was only after I put in the time to develop this expertise and the discipline of the scientific process that I was able to apply my knowledge beyond the lab greatness is born out of the grind so embrace the grind a thoughtful and intentional important approach to the grind will help you become an expert in your craft when I meet a black man or woman who's at the top of their field I see the highest form of execution that's no accident there's a good chance it took that black leader a whole lot more brining to get them where they are today I look at the current and former black CEOs who inspired my life I have to tell you they blow me away every time I meet with them people like Bernard Tyson Ken Frazier Ken Chenault dick Parsons Ursula burns and the late Barry Rand they may not have attended Morehouse but they had the Morehouse spirit they knew that being the best meant grinding every single day it means putting in the 10,000 hours necessary to become a master of your craft and I'll tell you one of the great leaders of our time Muhammad Ali once said I hated every minute of training but I thought to myself suffer down and live the rest of your life as a champion so grind it out and live your life as a champion my next rule is to take thoughtful risks my granddad took a particular interest in my career he couldn't have been prouder when I had a stable job at craft other foods as an engineer because for him they had that kind of job security at my age was a dream come true when I was when I told him I was thinking about leaving to go to grad school he frankly was worried then you can imagine how worried he became so many years later when I told him I was leaving goldman sachs i said i'm gonna start my own private equity firm grandad to focus on enterprise software he thought i'd gone crazy but i respected my granddad and his wisdom in estoppel nesara knew his protectiveness over me but I'd done my homework I calculated the risks and I importantly do that I was going to invest and what all most important things and gather the fundamental design point of the American dream and that was to be a business owner so I decided with confidence I was gonna make a one big bet on the asset that I knew best myself there are always reasons to be risk it's a risk averse as you know graduating from Morehouse can make your risk-averse the path that you're on if you just take a conservative path your outcomes and choices would probably be pretty good but that doesn't mean that you should gamble with your career or Perrine from job to job frankly because it looks the grass always looks a little greener it does mean that you should evaluate your options you should be taking business and career risks do the analysis and most importantly trust your instincts when you bet on yourself that's likely a good bet my third rule is always be intentional about the words you choose I know Morehouse's taught you all that what you say matters and what you say carries with it enormous power be intentional about the words you speak how you define yourself what you call each other the people you spend time with and the love you create this all matters immensely it will define you my fourth rule which is actually my favorite is to always know that you are enough I mentioned that before going to Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs I was working as an engineer Kraft Randall Foods one day I was at a meeting with the number of my department heads going through our divisional strategy and sitting around a conference table lining up what were the most important strategic imperatives but I looked at those six initiatives I was leading five of them I was half the age of everybody in that room and I know making 1/3 of everybody in that room and I said to myself I'm either doing something really right or really wrong and Frankie was a little bit of both so that became a lesson to me in realizing my Worth and Southworth it isn't just about salary although that does matter it's about demanding respect from others and from yourself a realization and respect for all the skills and talents you bring to the table when you have confidence in your own worth you'll become the one to raise your hand for that next assignment and it may be hard that made me putting in time on nights and weekends and it also means you'll be gaining incremental skills and experiences that enhance your craftsmanship in earn your respect through your body of work let the quality of your work product speak of your capabilities know that you are only bound by the limits of your own conviction because you are Morehouse men there is no room on this earth you can't enter without your head held high you will encounter people in your life as I have who will want to make you feel like you don't belong but when you respect your own body of work that's all the respect you need in the words of the great Quincy Jones and Ray Charles not one drop of my self-worth depends on your acceptance of me you are enough the fifth and final lesson for you all the day is as follows we all have the responsibility to liberate others so that they can become their best selves in human rights the arts and business and in life the fact is as the next generation of african-american leaders you don't want to just be on the bus you want to own it you want to drive it and you want to pick up as many people along the way as you can because I will tell you more than the money the awards of recognition the titles we will all be measured by how much we contribute to the success of the people around us how many people will you get on your bus number 13 we need you to become the elected leaders who step up and fix the laws that engender discrimination and set a tone of respect in our public discourse we need you to become the c-suite executives who change corporate culture build sustainable business models and make diversity and inclusion a core and unshakable value we need you to become the entrepreneurs who will innovate inclusively expand wages for all Americans and lower the unemployment rate in our communities we need you to be the educators who set the standards and demand the resources to deliver on those standards and inspire the next enter raishin and we need you to invest the real estate and businesses and our communities and create value for all of us in those communities no matter what profession you choose each of you must become a community builder no matter how far you travel you can't ever forget where you came from you're responsible for building strong safe places where our young brothers and sisters can rape raise children and grow in confidence watch and learn from positive role models and they believe that they too are entitled to the American Dream you men of Morehouse are already doing this I know you own your own student government in fact since students on a bus to underserved communities to actually empower young black men and women to seize our own narrative and find their own power in their own voice this is exactly the kind of leadership I'm talking about remember that building a community doesn't always have to be about sweeping change either but it does have to be intentional you just can't be a role model sometimes I'm cognizant of the fact that every time I'm in public people are observing my actions the same goes for you building community can't be insolent the world has never been smaller but we need to make and help our communities think bigger I've invested particularly in internship programs because I've observed the power of exposing young minds to opportunities that work in their neighborhoods so they can see what they can become help those around you see the beauty of this vast world help them believe that they too can capture that dream and remember community can be anywhere back in the 1960s and 70s community was a few blocks around where I grew up today we you can create communities of people all around the world merging the physical and digital communities will be one of the great opportunities that you have and you will have in these years going forward and finally don't forget that communities thrive in the smallest of gestures be the first to congratulate a friend on their new job buy their new product post it on social media and tell everybody how great it is and be the first to console them when they face adversity treat all people with dignity even if you can't see how they're gonna help you and most important of all whatever it takes never ever forget to call your mother and I do mean call don't text text account so speaking of mothers let Mia allow me a point of personal privilege the end with a story that speaks volumes about mine summer 1963 when I was just nine months old my mother picked me and my brother up and hauled a 17-mile 1,700 miles away from Denver to Washington DC so we could be there for a Morehouse man speech my mother knew that our boys are too young to remember that speech but she believed that the history that we witnessed that day would forever resonate and become part of the men that we would one day become my mom was right as usual I still feel that day in my bones and it echoes around us here at Morehouse that cage after that cross-country trip I had the privilege to take my grandad to the opposite side of the National Mall to celebrate the inauguration of the first African American president as we sat in that audience and that cold morning he pointed to a window just behind a flag in the Capitol building he said you know Branson when I was a teenager I used to work in that room right there it's the Senate lounge I used to serve coffee and tea and take cats and coats for the Senators he said I recall looking out that window during Franklin Roosevelt's inauguration he said son I did not see one black face in the crowd that day he said so here we are you and I watching this he said grandson you can see how America can change when people have the will to make a change the beautiful symmetry of our return for the nation's capital under such different circumstances were not lost on us the poetry of time and soul that Lincoln called the mystic chords of memory resonated in both of our hearts you cannot be a witness to history as I have or walk the halls of Morehouse as you have without profound respect for the unsung everyday heroes who generation after generation little by little nudged shoved and ultimately built bent that arc of the moral universe a little closer to justice this is a history and the heritage you inherit this is a responsibility that now lies upon your broad shoulders true wealth comes from contributing to the liberation of people and the liberation of communities we come from depends upon the grit and the determination and the greatness inside of you using your skills and your knowledge and your instincts to serve to change the world and only the way that you can your great Morehouse men are bound again only by your limits of your own convictions and creativity you have the power within to be great be you be unstoppable be undeniable and accomplice of things and people thought you never would I'm counting on you to load up your bus and share that journey and let's not forget what dr. King said in his final moments in his famous sermon on Evan eesof Baptist Church I want to be on your right side and on your left side in love and in justice in truth and in commitment so that we can make this old world a new world so graduates look to your right look to your left actually take a moment stand up give each other a hug I'm gonna wait men of Morehouse you are surrounded by a community of people who have helped you arrive at the sacred place and on this sacred day on behalf of the eight generations of my family who have been in this country we're going to put a little fuel in your bus now I've got the Alumni over there and this is the challenge to you alumni this is my class 2019 [Applause] and my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] now I know my class will make sure they pay this forward and I want my class to look at these alumnus these beautiful Morehouse brothers and let's make sure every class has the same opportunity going forward [Applause] because we are enough to take care of our own community [Applause] we are enough to ensure we have all the opportunities of the American Dream and we will show it to each other through our actions and through our words and through our deeds so class of 2019 may the Sun always shine upon you may the wind always be at your back and may God always holds you in the cradle of her hands congratulations [Applause] MVP Wow dr. Smith dr. Smith your words were inspiring you exemplify all the lessons that you shared with us your generosity amazes us it also teaches us a lesson and that is that not that it's about how much you give but that you give so let's give our speaker dr. Robert F Smith another round of applause [Applause] thank you so now the Morehouse glee club will perform the spiritual Joshua fit the Battle of Jericho arranged by Colin Len [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] let's give our world-renowned Morehouse College glee club another round of applause well now [Applause] don't sound like y'all ready [Applause] I still can't hear you Rose you Khali's dead free I can't be you [Applause] come on now class of 2019 unprecedented we do now come to the central purpose of these commencement exercises the awarding of the baccalaureate degrees [Applause] the academic leaders of the divisions will in turn present candidates for the degrees offered by the college president Thomas I am pleased to present to you nearly 400 members of the class of 2019 who have been certified as having completed the prescribed course of studies and all institutional obligations I'm gonna repeat that and I think I think all institutional obligations meriting the degree of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in accordance with the recommendation of the Morehouse faculty and the boat of the Morehouse College Board of Trustees I request that you confer upon these men the degree of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science as appropriate in each case with the rights privileges and responsibilities appertaining thereunto president Thomas brothels Hajj I am pleased to accept the Faculty's recommendation and the approval of the board of trustees and I am honored to confer upon these men the degree a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science with all the rights privileges and responsibilities pertaining there unto we will confer the degrees by academic division Division representatives will now come forward and present the candidates for graduation resident Thomas it gives me great honor to present the candidates for The Bachelor of Arts degree from the division of humanities and Social Sciences [Applause] gentlemen please and turn to your right and place the hood on your classmate standing in front of you Alston Jonathan Ariat Alvarado ii laude christopher de Porres Amos [Applause] steven gerrard anderson ii laude brian keith Armstead junior laude Charlie Weis and Baker the fourth laude Tyler D Ron Baker laude Ricky P banks the second Taylor Miller Barco laude Terrell Harvey Bernard Christian David Myers laude Ryan Anthony Bell [Applause] London Jameson rook Steiner Douglas Blanchard the third Julian you laude Larry George Boyer the third laude Jordan Sivan gotcha gray Paul wrister the third dear on Antoine Brown Sean M Bryant John Jacob burn summa laude Phi Beta Kappa Kevin see Burton Christian Scott Campbell laude Jamel d.chamberz John Joseph Chapman the third soon laude [Applause] Nicholas Alexander Clemens Jemaine K Coleman laude [Applause] Joshua Joshua miles Collins laude Eureka's II Colin jemelle Hoban America sees Jermaine Coleman Nicholas Alexander Clemens Joshua miles Collins laude Jericho's be Collins bondrée k Conway John Cooper junior Kevin Turay court Marco Antonio Quadra Cameron Allen Cunningham Nyjah Esau Curtis jr. twisting Gerard Davis the third the Brian Henry DeLoach Roderick Odile Diamond the second laude shabbir David Donaldson Kaleo Elijah Downey [Music] Cameron ulema Shh Ryan T Edwards senior Jonathan Kenneth Eldridge ii laude [Applause] Jonathan Blake Epps summa laude Phi Beta Kappa Brandon Perrin Finn laude Samuel Jamar Finnell laude George Toni French the third Tyrone Rashad Gaynor Ivan grant Khalil Gillespie [Applause] Ethan Styles got tree [Applause] Andrew Malik Lloyd green Derek ad green jr. rational Kevin green jr. I'm here Oscar Bryce laude rice Jay Hagan magna laude Phi Beta Kappa Jared Damone Harper [Applause] Cameron Josiah Paris Kai Tijeras laude jacquees Harrison [Applause] kimanni Kimani tomorrow hey Gregory Neil Hayes jr. who now their Hassan Xavier Henderson locked Cameron M he'll come now dear - Demetrius hood Isaiah Augustus horn fryer [Applause] Jerome L Wharton Anthony Nathaniel Houston laude Cameron Andrew Hyman laude [Music] Melvin Thomas I'd let junior Brandon Jack laude Jonathan Michael Jack John Andre Amir Jackson Charles Remington Jackson Jonathan Wayne Keith Jackson Antonio Lamar Johnson Anwar Jabari Johnson give annual Lee Johnson [Applause] Juwan Derrick Johnson Tyreke Terrell Jackson johntavious Larnell Johnson Christopher Ryan Jones Ron J Todd John Ross devotion Jordan magna laude Phi Beta Kappa Eli Harari Kirkland Cyrus Leviticus Kirkwood Shaquille Omar Lampley Xavier Paul Larkin [Applause] lamo know Aaron Maurice Luallen Keelan larae Lions laude joshua Brooklyn chase McCarty Christopher Anthony McRoy laude christopher Darien McCullough laude Sabari Marcus McKee Brian Alexander Macmillan Terrence Terrell McQueen Brandon dakari more Johnny Lee Morris the third joining Malik Mosby sulemani Phi Theta Kappa [Applause] any naka salah mu J mu Jordan s monkey laude care IND Mooney Clifford Joseph moose the third Carl Victor Newton ii laude Carlos Benjamin Alton laude jaelyn Terri Parker Emmanuel Lewis parks jr. Len Vernell Parrish Quinton Isaiah Michelle Gerald Carey jr. Paul Joseph Pinkins Stafford the James purpose Anthony Dwayne rad Stu laude Chadwick Bluford Rainer Kendrick man del Rey [Music] Donald Keith Reed jr. laude joshua trust Reed magna laude Phi Beta Kappa [Music] Charles cane elephant the third [Applause] shed Jetson rim magna laude Phi Beta Kappa [Applause] Azariah Shaquille rice Harry Richardson jr. [Applause] Corey Vidal Reyes jr. Amir Mikkel Robinson Frances Leon Rozier Trevor David's Ruth gibreel are Sanford to laude Brendan Fitzgerald sano-kun laude for Darryl J Shaw who now D mark Daniel Shelton Jalen tally Shepard Sherman D'Amico Sidney Alexander then Sims who nodded Ahmad Brandon Smith laude - Lloyd Alexander Smith sorry Deonte Smith - Stan Edward Smith the third Funari you see Amir Smith [Music] Joseph doing sorrows laude Sean Daquan Swinton [Applause] Tevan D Taylor who now D Tremayne LaRue Taylor jr. cloudy Lenten Benjamin McDaniel trapped Lawrence Joseph trapped Adam Joshua Christopher Turner [Applause] labert jock twigs Junior shanell Oh Kerry Tyler Stephen Vance Jr laude [Applause] Joseph Michael Van Jones tamarick vanover jr. retinol Eugene Wallace Ellis Swain Walton laude Marcus L Washington - louder Moses Washington laude Ryan Rashad Washington laude Peter Joseph will born magna now a Phi Beta Kappa Antoine Marquess Williams Darryl LaRon Williams microphone of a Phi Beta Kappa you smell Dianna Williams Cameron Matthew Williams Jeffrey Alexander Lilith [Applause] padeen money Wilson - laude trade Samuel Wilson baby J win Austin James young full Audi [Applause] congratulations you may now turn your tassels [Applause] getting him maybe see [Music] president Thomas it gives me great honor to present the candidates for the bachelors of Arts degree from the division of business administration and Economics [Applause] gentlemen please stand turn to the right and place the hood on your fellow classmates standing in front of you please come forward as your name is called Christopher Alan Adams Joshua Kyle Atkins laude Julian Butler Alexander laude michael anthony Ellen laude Quinlan Annie Terrell Lord Anderson laude Salem Nana quasi author who laude [Applause] Andre Deshawn Barton Quinton JaJuan Bennett Simpson berry the third Quinlan taking Babbitt laude stephen patrick Bolden laude Paul Edward Bryant the second Logan birth ii laude hurry e Bush who laude Hamilton Joshua Kane josephus Lonnie a castle junior Kyle William Andrew Cobb [Applause] Marlon Jarrett took magna laude Colin Elliot Cooper Michael I can't Thompson to laude George Victor Kristoph the second [Applause] [Music] Michael Rando Davenport [Applause] deshaun ladarius Davis Marc Anthony Girard Davis the second full Maori Arthur James dims Elijah Nestle dormir given Bernard Driscoll Ross Josiah Joelle Edward finale Christian Peter Edwards given Dean phii's gross laude [Applause] Nathaniel s Ford magna laude Julian Christopher Gaines magna laude [Applause] Lawrence James Gilliam Jason Allen grant magna laude [Applause] Kendrick votaries Hambrick Tyrone LaBelle Hammond Jr Colin Edwards Hargrove Thomas B Harmon so jihad Harold monday Germain Hathaway [Applause] Azealia Darrin Hill Isaiah Hudson magna laude Phi Beta Kappa whole Matthew Jackson Dominique Michael Jackson Marcus Alexander Jackson laude robert anthony james summa laude Phi Beta Kappa regularly Lee Johnson jr. laude Cameron Derrick Jones Deonte Malik Jones laude del Mare Thomas Johnson third laude Ellis Jones Bobby Kennedy the third laude Stefan Clayton Keith magna laude Phi Beta Kappa sorry Deonte Kent Island Joseph Tyree Kester in kasi Amon Leary Alexander dahveed Lewis Collodi Dwight the 1 Rafael Lewis Demond gerard long the second [Applause] whooping Jordan mellory Jared Thurgood Manor medicine Wham Martinez Manuel Navi Oh Papa but Papa COO mati Kali deandre party Matthews magna laude christopher Jordan Mathis too low Malcolm cold mcknight miles Edward mcLaughlin - louder come on Julian meddler Aaron Anthony Mitchum I can't engage you let mom's cousin Bay s monster laude Herbert Lee married the 3rd Baron Brossard Myers laude IRA Lee none me the 4th ever all a officer the third Jarrett in O'Connor James kale obtained a second summa laude Phi Beta Kappa Benjamin Wesley killers Malcolm Lewis ransom laude William and Damon Robertson for Maori Ryan Olson Robinson Casey James Rock'em or magna laude Maximilian Steven Sanders magna laude Justin D start young Amari Prince Shaw Amani Delano Simmons Trey s Simon's laude miles Julian Smith summa laude Phi Beta Kappa [Applause] Theodore Jamar Smith laude just an Anthony Streeter Austin Donald Tasker laude stephen james taylor laude Kendall Armand Thomas Alexander James Tyson Noren say DJ who's Amelie [Applause] [Music] Jonathan Michael way to laude Kendall Jamal Walker laude Malik Xavier Watley Bremen Dumas white laude Timothy Steven Whitnall laude Jeremiah Dante Williams laude Kenneth Williams Louis C Williams jr. laude rashon Deonte Williams Cody Linden woods khadeem rag Mannie film Audi [Applause] congratulations you may not turn your tassel to the left you may be seated president Thomas it gives me great honor to present the candidates for the bachelors of arts degree or the Bachelors of Science degree from the Division of Science and Mathematics Stanton [Applause] gentlemen please stand and turn to your right turn to your right and place the hood of your fellow classmate standing in front of you please come forward as your name is called Macari Oh Sahara will sing gay Abdullah magna laude Phi Beta Kappa Kareem stopped at a BC Steve Duane Alfred the second tally a Ali laude Chuck's might an achiever Keith LeMond anderson ii laude Emanuel Ax bio me are your Yenta badru laude Alonso James Bailey summa laude Tori Tommy Barnes Daniel Alexander Baskin Austin leave Benton affairs Malakai Omar Barry Milo D Bivens laude Tyler Jeremiah black laude Anthony Duane body ii laude michael christian bonds laude Keshava ben-israel Buckley magna laude Phi Beta Kappa maxim Holyfield camo Alexander Clinton Kennedy laude ty Xavier chambers Nashawn cherry to now D Phi Beta Kappa [Applause] obey justice Checotah magna laude [Applause] one Jamel Clark qunari turning hard cuz one Clark [Applause] Samuel Arthur Clark to the third jinlun Kenneth Clark magna laude Phi Beta Kappa Kenneth L proud of the second laude christopher mark Stephan Cumberbatch summa laude andrew davis the fourth magna laude christopher DeSean Davis Antoine the one Davis Korea Jonathan Marquis Drake Kyle Brandon Durham [Applause] Terry Delaney Francois Edwards Malik T Franklin laude [Music] Jassa Connie the finito through betwe Jose martin garcia Andrew Edwards Garrett laude Terral ray Anthony green almost you see smart move by gia laude Tai Chi Sean Haugh laude DeMarcus Harris Darrell justice Hill junior magna laude Brandon J Hilton Ernest be home Phi Beta Kappa Samuel ladarius hood magna laude Timothy Hornsby heaven Rashad Howard Jordan Morris Cowie laude standing Deanne Humphrey Nigel tomorrow hunter magna laude Phi Beta Kappa Jeffrey no one Ganga he's Isaac Anthony Hugo Jackson before laude Viperine Amina Jain Clinton shite itte Jenkins magna laude Phi Beta Kappa Jonathan R Johnson Lewis arosa Jones magna laude Malik Russian Jones laude [Applause] non tavius come on Jones Mac Miller LaRon fuzzy Julien laude Frank davell Lawrence - laude surrett chica Bonnie lukina magna laude austin little summa laude Lonard Joe long magna laude Phi Beta Kappa Mark Christian long summa laude Phi Beta Kappa Joe sec Gabriel Luke Trent Mitchell Malone laude Brandon Alexander Manor laude Antoine Elisha Martin jr. Jarvis Christian Mays summa laude Phi Beta Kappa Simeon Javon McKelvey Alexander fifthly liar summa laude Phi Beta Kappa Jacob Michael Andy no Miranda laude Jeffrey Randolph Moore jr. Ryan Wycliffe more chili J Moore Aaron Langston Morris summa laude Phi Beta Kappa Courtney nati Oh Morris Eugene Jamil Molly Rashid Mohammed Xavier Isaac Nelson [Applause] Kevin a Newton Kurt Michael NUMA laude hua Valley John approached a magnitude re Phi Beta Kappa [Music] Galen kemar Palmer Kalin Jesse Peterson Sean Carlos Patterson laude Justin Michael Payne magna laude Phi Beta Kappa hockey Balaur Perry Christian Dean Pittman laude joshua todaya laude joshua Nicholas Pulliam laude stephen Ellison Raglan summa laude yen see em read magna laude Phi Beta Kappa Edward Lee Ridley the third to laude [Applause] Christian Henry Roberts Wallace laude Anthony Michael robot the third Justin linear sample magna laude Phi Beta Kappa Bertram Edward Sears Bradley Daniel Simmons summa laude Phi Beta Kappa chart Marius singleton [Music] [Applause] William Richardson Slater the third laude cable Kalyan Elisha smiley from love Michael Osiris Smith Jr Andre Lamont southern Joshua Siderius sparks magna laude Phi Beta Kappa Jordan Douglas one stands Wayne Stephens magnatum laude Terry all Stevenson magna laude Phi Beta Kappa Ashton Frank Sullivan Jaron Anthony Taylor Alfred Thomas the forest Michael Vincent thrash of the second Trevon trust laude oamaru wise over laude miles mobile Washington vanye laude Jabari Zaki Wells laude Donovan G white [Applause] Zane Alexander whitfill laude Freddie Lee Williams junior laude a marius car Wilson laude Anthony Robert Wilson jr. laude Kevin Milan woman magna laude Phi Beta Kappa Jesse Alexander Woodbury laude Arsen renard wife [Music] [Music] gentlemen I can now say this congratulations to my Morehouse brothers gentlemen you may be seated [Applause] I forgot something gentlemen turn your tassels to the left [Applause] easy congratulations class of 2019 job well done mission accomplished on Friday our Reserve Officers Training Corps ROTC officer candidates were commissioned as military officers in our armed services today we invite them to the stage to take their ceremonial oath of office [Applause] [Music] ladies and gentlemen Major Nick Francois professor of military science and commanding officer of the Army ROTC unit Atlanta region will come forward and give the oath of office to our newly commissioned military officers [Applause] [Applause] let me thank these young men newly commissioned officers in our military in advance for the service that they will provide our nation going forward and and now to induct our newest graduates into the ranks of the Alumni please welcome the president of the Morehouse College Alumni Association mr. Marlon cousin a member of the class of 1987 and a member of the Morehouse College Board of Trustees who will induct them into the National Alumni Association president cousin Thank You president Thomas at this time we'll all the members of the class of 2019 and I distinguished honorary degree recipients please stand if you're able and since we've been challenged I like my alumni brothers to please stand and covered in these 19th 2019 graduates and for the record dr. Smith Morehouse alumni always stand up to a challenge no institution of higher education can be stronger than its alumni and Morehouse is made stronger by your achievement and your continuous support therefore those who have earned their degree and accepted the honor of becoming a Morehouse graduate are expected to reach back lift up and support the ongoing mission of Morehouse College today I stand here representing 17,000 alums across this world eagerly awaiting for you to join them and have an impact on this world I am confident that you would lead us in our community the nation and the world who are striving to achieve what you have already done therefore by the authority vested in me as president of the Morehouse College Alumni Association I am pleased to induct you into the Morehouse College Alumni Association with all his rights privileges and responsibilities of a distinguished Morehouse man and graduate as dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays reminds us once the Morehouse student bares the insignia of a Morehouse Graduate he is expected to do exceptionally well in fact I expect nothing less from you as a gift to you your first year membership dues will be waived I said waived however I expect you to pay it forward through your time and treasure and never forget never forget there was an alumnus sitting next to you or local chapter that painted for it for you to stand here today so remember that I know you represent us well and play an active role in supporting your community the Alumni Association and Morehouse forever so gentlemen and dr. bass advance welcome to the ranks of Morehouse alumni welcome to our Brotherhood good luck Godspeed you may be seated Thank You president cousin I join you in congratulating our newest graduates who will join the ranks of the Alumni who also lead lives of leadership and service at this time the glee club will perform the traditional commencement anthem prayer for Lohengrin former members of the glee club are invited to come to the platform to my left and join in the singing of this time-honored selection [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] to the officers and members of the distinguished graduating class of 2019 the moment of your leave taking from this hill is upon us this may be the last time that you and I are all here together so I want to grab that moment to say a few things before you go and to give you a charge during the past months as I walked around the campus whenever my schedule would permit I engaged in conversation with a number of you in this graduating class from these encounters I have come to know something of the temper and aspirations of many a man of Morehouse and I have never ceased to be impressed by the intellectual acumen the lofty aspirations the incredible career goals that are continuously nurtured despite financial and logistical difficulties and the burning desire in all of you to combine career success with the obligation to lead and serve above all I see in you the essences of the air of expectancy at Morehouse College of which dr. Benjamin Mays so often spoke I'm also acutely aware that classes of Morehouse College are often known and named after their president I was not the president who brought you to Morehouse College or spoke to you four years ago at New Student Orientation but I hope that as you watch the college move forward on this journey with me you will look back and claim me as your president that you will be proud to say we are Thomas men and I am pleased to inform you that I will always claim you as my class not only because you're the first class that I spent a full senior year with but also because many of the constructs and directions that I will continue to put in place as president are based on my conversations with members of this class and never forget my words to you you are the tip of the spear a great saying at Morehouse College is that iron sharpens iron and it has been the case for 152 years that the men who have shared time on this hill have made each other better iron sharpens iron each class that leaves represents a tip of the spear sharper than the last four more years ago you set out on a journey that at the time may have seen overwhelmingly tedious and significantly complicated at least to some of you yet you are here today because as you journey through the years you came to understand that the difference between success and failure is the ability to overcome obstacles including the obstacles you may have placed in your own path you are here today because you did not dwell long on the failures of yesterday but you focused your sights on the success that could be yours tomorrow remembering that no effort that you made to attain something worthwhile was lost you are here today because she had many teachers beyond those in the classroom as you learn silence from the talkative tolerance from the intolerant kindness from the unkind and patience from waiting for dreams to reach fruition and somewhere along the way you learn that your obligation was not merely to succeed but to be discontented with failure you learned that your obligation is not to remain silent when it is necessary to speak the truth even if the truth is not heard you learned that your obligation is to give even if it is not graciously received and you also learn that even the most difficult tasks can be heroic when in the right hands the term commencement means to begin so yes you are at the threshold of your new beginning ready to set goals ready to set new vistas ready to fashion new dreams and ready to take on new challenges in different and perhaps even tougher arenas therefore we come this morning before your leave taking to ask the overwhelming questions are you ready men of the class of 2019 are you able men of the class of 2019 are you willing men of the class of 2019 to become through action what you have learned through principle as the hands of the clock move urgently to the hour for you to leave these hallowed grounds and move out into the world the last thought I leave you with is of signature importance I want to acknowledge something and share a lesson with you that I have learned in my own life the importance of this charge is underscored by the fact that 134 commencements have taken place at this institution at eat and each of the eleven presidents who came before me delivered to the respective classes a charge in serious and heartfelt manner urging the graduates to follow paths to excellence as they revisit from time to time the tenets of the charge given to them on their commencement morning first let me remind you that you that graduation will college is not and must not be the end of your achievements in fact you are not finished you have only just begun the tomorrow that has been your North Star your point of reference and your guiding light has now arrived tomorrow is now today it goes without saying that you are not the scared freshmen that you were four years ago when you rode up to this campus and were greeted by a per class man with a hearty welcome to the house at that time there may have been some of you who were filled with fear because someone told you that you were not college material that you were not good enough and that you would not succeed here or anywhere else but you dared anyway and you dared to succeed and by so doing you proved them wrong you made it over the doubt you made it after you conquered the fear but I would also be remiss if I did not tell you that there are other rivers to cross there are other mountains to climb there are obstacles that you must overcome because the reality of our world is that it is not designed to make it easy for you to achieve success you will not enter a perfect world and you may not always be treated fairly or even with the respect you seek and deserve there will be times in which you will falter and there will be times you may try with all your might yet fail at achieving a desired goal and the truth is that there is no utopian society where everything is perfect and all is well yet in my 62 years of living and the wisdom that I have gained along the way I've learned that failure is not a sin I've learned that the real sin is not to accept with unvarnished honesty your responsibility for failure and to learn from it I've also learned that the most important form of forgiveness is not my forgiveness of others but my willingness to forgive myself and then to move forward with greater courage and commitment to meet the clarion call to service that discharged today espouses and yes you will make mistakes yes you will fail sometime but to counteract the ravishes of failure you may need to stand taller step higher work harder think deeper dream farther and run faster and with more determination and you have ever run before so let go of excuses justifications and blaming others and accept your responsibility for your own actions then when necessary change your method of acting and choose a better way to lead and to serve and because a part of you will always a part of us and a part of us will always be a part of you we charge you to choose always that which is right with invincible resolution we charge you to resist the sorest temptations from within and from without we charge you to learn to discern what to remember and what to forget we charge you to obliterate everything disagreeable from your memory of yesterday and right upon today's clean slate those things that are beautiful and those things that are good which we charge you to recognize that there could be no real and abiding happiness without sacrifice we charge you to understand the joy comes not to him who seeks it for himself but to him who seeks it for others and finally we charge you to hold out a light so that your brother or sister lost at sea may find the way back to land for Morehouse and her teachings will always be your port of call this is your this is our company this is our charge to you the mighty men to you the noble men to you the strong men to you excellent men of the electrifying graduating class of 2019 I hope with all my heart that you will accept the message of this charge and act accordingly for if you do I have no doubt that the world you inherit today when you leave this hallowed Hill will one day be better than it was when you found it may God bless you and keep you in all that you do thank you [Applause] Thank You president Thomas I am sure that if our founders could have been with us here today I really believe they would have been very pleased ladies and gentlemen again on behalf of our entire College family let me thank each of you for joining us in the celebration the 135th commencement of Morehouse College as we prepare to close the program we ask that you remain seated and keep the aisles clear until the recessional ends now parents guardians and others I know how eager you are to embrace them to engage your graduate but you must allow him to march up that glorious Hill with all of his classmates for one last time his journey is not complete until that is done for never again in this life is it likely that all members of this class will be together in one group as they are today not because of anything negative but because of the service the jobs the work families and other engagements somebody just won't be able to get here so let them March today brother to brother man to man in the prophetic fulfillment of their excellence Reverend dr. benning's the 135th commencement convocation of Morehouse College is now concluded [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] on yesterday add baccalaureate we gave the parents friends and relatives an opportunity to honor their sons nephews and brothers you responded in an overwhelming way I am told by the office of institutional advancement that they ran out after they distributed over 2,000 pieces of information regarding purchasing a chair with your son's name engraved on the arms and so today we want you to know since we've continued to receive requests that after the recessional you may go to the porch of the Kilgore Campus Center and there will be staff members there to continue distributing flyers on how you may honor your sons with a chair in King Chapel with their name engraved on it one other thing many of you have asked who the sponsors are for the oil portraits unveiled yesterday honoring dr. Adam McKinney and dr. Harriet Walton I'm very pleased to inform you that the donor is with us today on the platform it is alumnus Morehouse College trustee of a class of 1982 mr. Dale Jones to stand up and he is also the donor for the portrait last year of dr. Todd Johnson and now won't you bow your heads to your hearts for this final blessing and now maybe all caring and merciful ruler of the universe keep you in this exalted an aspirational state of mind and gift you the opportunity to visit who you really are so that you can make yourself a blessing to humankind go forth knowing that your finite self and our infinite selves are one and the same we are created in the image and the likeness of God as all right already knowing that we are baptized in immeasurable abundance permanent prosperity which shows up every day in every way from everywhere for everybody remembering we are cosmic clearing houses for dissolution of fear hate and violence through understanding compassion and forgiveness knowing in this deep national and spiritual crisis that the world needs the light of Moorehouse pointing us toward a sustaining floor not an isolating wall go forth believing that we align our thinking with the mind of God by aligning ourselves with the love of God knowing that in God awareness a problem is merely a place where a miracle awaits that faith is not blind but visionary the bridge we build to overcome evil and welcome good go forth empowering the underserved and ending the National atmosphere of dehumanization go forth awakening all to the view that peace is the universal religion knowing that true democracy is where the ideals of honor and dignity apply to all moving from mentalizing to manifesting turning ignorant sin to knowledge poison into medicine and darkness into light go forth knowing that we are called to love loving realizing that the whole earth is our field of ultimate concern so be it and so it is world without in hallelujah oh man [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] you

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Published: Tue May 28 2019