List of Southern University alumni

This is a list of notable Southern University alumni.


Athletes

Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Avery Johnson 1988 2006 NBA Coach of The Year
Rich Jackson 1966 member of the American Football League Hall of Fame
Mel Blount 1970 member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Lou Brock record-setting base-stealing Major League Baseball player
Harold Carmichael four-time NFL Pro-Bowler
Willie Davenport two-time gold medalist of U.S. Olympic Track Team
Reggie D. Gaines former Chief of Police
Marvin Davis former NFL and CFL player and Grey Cup champion
Kip Holden Mayor-President of Baton Rouge since 2005
Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones President and baseball coach at Grambling State University from 1936 to 1977 [1]
Tyrone Jones former Canadian Football League all-star and MVP
Fred Lewis current Major League Baseball player
Bob Love Former NBA all-star and second leading scorer in Chicago Bulls history
Rod Milburn Track and Field gold medalist at 1972 Munich Olympic Games
Jordan Miller 2011 current NFL defensive tackle
Bobby Phills NBA basketball player
Isiah Robertson six time NFL Pro-Bowler
Bernie Smith former Major League Baseball player
Donnell Smith former NFL player
Godwin Turk former NFL player
Rickie Weeks current Major League Baseball player
Derrick D. Mchenry former Division 3 semi pro football league 2 time all-star and 4 time MVP
Aeneas Williams member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Jerry Wilson former NFL player

Entertainers and personalities

Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Randy Jackson 1979 musician, record producer, and former American Idol judge
Faith Jenkins Miss Louisiana 2000, Miss America runner-up 2001, attorney, TV personality, and star of "Judge Faith".
Alvin Batiste jazz artist and educator
Isiah Carey television news reporter
Maurice Brown jazz artist
Lavell Crump a.k.a. David Banner, music recording artist
Thaddeus Ford jazz musician
Branford Marsalis jazz saxophonist
Terysa Singleton Miss Black Louisiana USA (2006–2007)
Brittany Brown Miss Black Louisiana USA (2009-2011)
Nesby Phips record producer and hip hop artist
Derrick D. Mchenry a.k.a. [Dj Razheed] record producer and hip hop artist

Politicians, judges and public officials


Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Mike Foster 2004 (Juris Doctor) The 53rd governor of Louisiana
Melvin "Kip" Holden 1982;1985 First African-American mayor of Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Dalton W. Honoré member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 63 in East Baton Rouge Parish since 2010 [2]
Diana Bajoie Member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature (1976-2008); member of the New Orleans City Council (2012-2013) [3]
Kirt Bennett African-American Republican candidate for lieutenant governor in 2003 [4]
Jay Blossman 1991 (Juris Doctor) Former member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission
Israel "Bo" Curtis African-American Democrat member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1992 to 2008 and the Rapides Parish School Board from 1976 to 1992, former Alexandria educator and insurance agent, did graduate study at Southern [5]
Herbert B. Dixon African-American Democrat member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 2008 to 2014 and the Rapides Parish School Board from 1992 to 2008, did graduate study at Southern [6]
Irma Muse Dixon first African-American elected to the Louisiana Public Service Commission (PSC)
Cleo Fields Representative, U.S. Congress
Hunter Greene 1994 (Juris Doctor) Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives [7]
Marcus Hunter 2002 Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 17 in Ouachita Parish [8]
Alphonse J. Jackson 1951 African-American member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Caddo Parish, 1972-1992; owner of a public relations agency in Baton Rouge [9]
Edward C. James African-American member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 101 in East Baton Rouge Parish; Baton Rouge lawyer [10]
William J. Jefferson former Representative, U.S. Congress
Okla Jones II federal judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
Isiah Leggett County Executive of Montgomery County, Maryland
Robert M. Marionneaux Louisiana state senator since 2000 from Baton Rouge area [11]
Jewel Joseph Newman African American member of the East Baton Rouge City Parish Council, 1972-1984; member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1984-1988; community organizer in the Scotlandville neighborhood of Baton Rouge [12]
Abe E. Pierce, III 1956 First African American mayor of Monroe, Louisiana (1996-2000) [13]
Chris Roy, Jr. 1987 attorney, state legislator from Rapides and Vernon parishes [14]
Jesse N. Stone attorney, educator, served as Dean of the Southern University Law Center and as president of Southern University
Dorothy Mae Taylor First African-American woman to serve in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1971-1980 [15]
Thomas Taylor Townsend Louisiana House of Representatives (2000-2008) [16]
Pinkie C. Wilkerson Louisiana House of Representatives (1992-2000) [17]
Alfred C. Williams 1972 Member of the Louisiana House from Baton Rouge since 2012; former school board member and attorney
Patrick C. Williams African-American state representative for Caddo Parish since 2007 [18]
Tom Willmott Louisiana House of Representatives from Jefferson Parish (since 2008) [19]

Military commanders

Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Sherian Grace Cadoria Brigadier General (Retired), First African-American female to reach the rank of General in U.S. Army
Russel L. Honoré Lieutenant general who commanded the U.S. military support of recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
Joe N. Ballard Lieutenant General (Retired), First African-American Chief of Engineers and Commander, United States Army Corps of Engineers

References

  1. ↑ "Ralph W. E. Jones, Ex-Head of Grambling". The New York Times, April 10, 1982. April 11, 1982. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Dalton W. Honoré". house.louisiana.gov. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Diana E. Bajoie: 2006 Honoree". dom.com. Retrieved December 1, 2013.
  4. ↑ Willmarine B. Hurst, "A New Breed with New Vision and New Leadership for a New Louisiana", May 30, 2003, at kirtbennett.com
  5. ↑ "Israel "Bo" Curtis obituary". The Alexandria Town Talk. February 24, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Herbert Bernard Dixon". intelius.com. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Rep. Greene, Hunter (R)". mobilelgs.com. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Rep. Marcus Hunter, D-LA". al--ala.capwiz.com. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Alphonse Jackson, Jr.". Baton Rouge Advocate. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Edward C. "Ted" James, II". house.louisiana.gov. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Unglesby & Marionneaux". unglesbyandmrionneaux.com. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  12. ↑ "Jewel Joseph Newman". Baton Rouge Advocate. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  13. ↑ James O. McHenry, The Indigenous Black People of Monroe, Louisiana and the Surrounding Cities, Towns, and Villages: A 100-Year Documentary, pp. 174-182. Self-published, 2010: ISBN 978-1-4535-8859-8. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Christopher J. Roy". mobilelgs.com. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
  15. ↑ Michael Radcliff (June 14, 2011). "Remembering Dorothy Mae Taylor: The First Lady of 1300 Perdido St.". The Louisiana Weekly. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  16. ↑
  17. ↑
  18. ↑ "Patrick Williams". house.louisiana.gov. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Rep. Tom Willmott". lmgma.capwiz.com. Retrieved August 29, 2011.