Talladega College President and First Lady Attend Historic Washington National Cathedral Service for HBCUs
Dr. and Mrs. Hawkins at the HBCU Service
Talladega College President Dr. Billy C. Hawkins and First Lady Lucy Weber Hawkins recently attended the first-ever service for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) at Washington National Cathedral. The Feb. 16 service, which honored the legacy and promise of HBCUs, was attended by HBCU alumni, students, organizations and families.
Washington National Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington, commonly known as Washington National Cathedral, is located in Washington, D.C. Funeral services for Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, and George H.W. Bush were held at the Cathedral. The Cathedral is the burial place of many notable individuals, including President Woodrow Wilson and Helen Keller. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached what would be his last Sunday sermon at the historic Cathedral.
Dr. Hawkins stated that he and the First Lady felt “so blessed” to be a part of yet another historic event. In January 2020, they celebrated the historic return of the Amistad Murals to Talladega College, the opening of the Dr. William R. Harvey Museum, and the construction of Talladega’s first-ever student center.
Dr. Hawkins serves as chair of the 36 presidents of member institutions for the UNCF (United Negro College Fund) board of directors, and also serves as UNCF chair of the executive committee of member institutions, vice chair of the corporate board, and vice chair of the corporate board executive committee. He was appointed by President Donald Trump to the White House Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in September 2018. In addition, he was appointed by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey to serve on the Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council. Dr. Hawkins is the first African American to chair the Alabama Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the author of two books, and a member of the Talladega Rotary Club, the Delta Upsilon Boule and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He was ranked first place among the “Top Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders of 2020” by HBCU Campaign Fund.
View the service
