Contact: Crystal Drake, Office of Strategic Communications
Magic Johnson will serve as the 2026 Commencement Speaker on May 9
Earvin “Magic” Johnson has lived his whole adult life under a spotlight – he is a sports icon, a billionaire and the face of a global public health conversation. And yet, one of the most powerful things he’s ever done has been the authentic and unapologetic way he has shown up as a father to his son EJ who identifies as gay and presents as gender‑fluid.
“Magic Johnson is a man who has demonstrated the deepest and truest meaning of love, even when – perhaps especially – when it is uncomfortable,” said Dr Brown, president and CEO. “The ways in which Magic has been consistently, publicly, and authentically supportive of his son EJ — celebrating him, defending him, and using his own platform to model unconditional love for him – give us all something to learn from and respect.”
Magic has never pretended that understanding his son EJ’s lived experience came effortlessly. He’s been transparent about his own learning curve and his need for time to examine his feelings and concerns, as a man and as a parent. That honesty matters.
For some, seeing a father like Magic Johnson choose love over legacy pressures, ego, or public opinion is revolutionary.
“Magic’s example reminds us that love – for any of our children – isn’t passive. While it isn’t perfect, it is full-throated,” said Dr. Brown.
At Tuskegee University, this kind of love isn’t new — it’s foundational. Booker T. Washington’s founding vision of ‘the hand, the heart, and the head’ makes room for the idea that in uplifting the whole person we accept, respect and embrace the whole person.
“One thing that will never change at Tuskegee is the belief that we rise and fall together. Our students-first model is centered in wrapping our arms around every student to equip them with a world-class education, build their resilience, deepen their character and prepare them to lead us into the future,” said Dr. Brown.
Magic Johnson’s journey as a father shows us that love can be both committed and unfinished. You can be supportive and still learning. You can be uncomfortable and unwavering. What matters is the bottom line: unconditional love.
© 2026 Tuskegee University
