Dr. Daniel Black’s 15-minute speech, which he delivered to Clark Atlanta University (CAU) graduates last weekend quickly spread like a wildfire across social media.
Black, a CAU graduate who has taught English and African American Studies at the historically Black institution for the past 30 years, was surprised when he was asked to deliver the address.
“I was completely and absolutely shocked because sitting professors are never asked to deliver the commencement address anywhere,” said Black, in an interview with Diverse. “I felt incredibly honored by my own institution because not only do I teach there, but I went there.”
Back when Black was a student there, the institution was Clark College. By the time he returned in 1993 to join the faculty, the college had consolidated with Atlanta University to become what it is today.
“As an alumnus and faculty member, I felt seen and really honored,” Black said of the speech that immediately went viral. “My first thought was that I wanted to represent the faculty, those who have been in the trenches with me for years teaching and sometimes being underpaid.”
Clips from the live stream have been replayed hundreds of thousands of times over the past week.
Dr. Daniel Black
“If Harriet Tubman can run to freedom, you can run to your destiny,” Black told the 600 graduates. "This is CAU. The proud of you. The excellent debut. You say you need a college degree, well we offer three: the bachelor's, the master's, and the Ph.D.,” he told the cheering audience, instigating a bit of competitiveness with academic rivals Spelman and Morehouse College, housed next door to CAU.
