John Legend will deliver the commencement address for Duke’s Class of 2021.
The singer, songwriter and philanthropist was announced Tuesday morning. Legend, who has been awarded Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards, is also an advocate for criminal justice reform. He is the first African American man to reach “EGOT” status.
“We are thrilled to have John Legend serve as our speaker at undergraduate commencement—and to have such an extraordinary group of honorary degree recipients, each of whom have made transformational contributions to our understanding of the world,” President Vincent Price said in the announcement.
Honorary degrees will be awarded during the ceremony to Legend, civil rights activist Barbara Arnwine, Johns Hopkins University professor Jacquelyn Campbell, Harvard professor Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham and former Environmental Protection Agency head William K. Reilly.
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Maria Morrison was a digital strategy director for The Chronicle's 117th volume. She was previously managing editor for Volume 116.