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It began with the rhythmic beat of African drums, their cadence echoing down the corridor from Biddle Hall to the 100-year-old Jane M. Smith Memorial Church on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University. The music carried the crowd in a regal processional, the preamble to Freshman Convocation.

Johnson C. Smith University made history in Boston on Saturday, August 30, 2025 defeating Morehouse College 45–9 in the first HBCU football game played at Harvard Stadium since the 1970s. The matchup was the centerpiece of the Essence HBCU Classic Weekend, a celebration of culture, history, and community that drew approximately 12,000 students, alumni, and supporters from across the country, including an enthusiastic collective of JCSU alumni. 

World leaders in entertainment, education, journalism and business took the stage at Wealthcon in Boston during Essence HBCU  Classic Weekend!  In a panoply of high-profile panels, community leaders  - including Chief Content Officer of Essence Ventures, Michele Ghee, Valerie Mosley of BrightUp and Dr. Valerie Kinloch, 15th President of Johnson C. Smith University - tackled educational empowerment, financial literacy and community engagement. Leaders engaged in candid conversation about the transformative role of education in shaping opportunity, mobility, and leadership. 

Johnson C. Smith University football is preparing for a history-making moment this weekend when the Golden Bulls face Morehouse College at Harvard University in the first-ever Essence Classic featuring two HBCUs on August 30, 2025. 

Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) welcomed business and civic leaders to campus for the Charlotte Business INClusion (CBI) Bluprint Reception, a gathering designed to strengthen dialogue and expand opportunities for small business owners across the city.

On August 1, 2025, five groups of ambitious young scholars took the stage at Johnson C. Smith University, prepared to pitch their business ideas—and their futures. The event marked the culmination of the Becoming Kings Program, a transformative six-week summer initiative designed to prepare incoming Black male students for college life through mentorship, leadership development, corporate site visits, and cultural enrichment.

In an era where funding can make or break transformational work at colleges and universities, Johnson C. Smith University is equipping its faculty and staff with the tools to compete—and win—in the world of grant writing.

Josiah Matthews is a typical teenager, by some standards: he enjoys books and band, computers and the company of family. Josiah is no ordinary teenager. He is a prodigy and one of the youngest students to enter Johnson C. Smith University, in recent history. 

Nearly 300 music education leaders and college students from across the country gathered on Capitol Hill to advocate for federal support of music education during the National Association for Music Education’s annual Hill Day. Among them was Dr. Angelica Brooks, director of choral activities at Johnson C. Smith University.

Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) is proud to announce the appointment of Donovan A. Everett, President and Chief Executive Officer of D.A. Everett Construction Group, to its Dean's Executive Advisory Board. Everett brings over 25 years of extensive experience in successfully leading and delivering commercial construction projects, totaling over $2 billion.