This list of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University alumni includes graduates, non-graduate former students, and current students of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C. A&T), a public, coeducational, high research activity, land-grant university, located in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States.
North Carolina A&T is one of 16 public universities that constitute the University of North Carolina System, and one of the first public universities in the United States. Founded in 1891 as the "Agricultural and Mechanical college for the Colored Race," N.C. A&T was the first land grant college for people of color in the state of North Carolina. Over the 100 plus years of the university's existence, the academic scope expanded to encompass other disciplines. The North Carolina General Assembly redefined N.C. A&T as a regional university and through legislation made it a member of the University of North Carolina System in 1971.
As of 2025, North Carolina A&T had over 70,000 living alumni.
Alumni
Education
Alumni Class year Notability Reference(s) First Black student to attend Auburn University Economist; seventh president of Jackson State University; sixth president of Tennessee State University Economist; seventh president of Tennessee State University (2005–2011) Engineer; twelfth chancellor of Winston-Salem State University; twelfth chancellor of North Carolina A&T; first and only alumnus to serve as chancellor of the university Ninth president of Simmons University
Science and technology
Alumni Class year Notability Reference(s) Computer scientist and former senior policy advisor in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Physicist and NASA astronaut; died during the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS-51-L
Civics
Alumni Class year Notability Reference(s) Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives; 58th District Elreta Alexander-RalstonFirst African-American judge elected in North Carolina Former Democratic mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina First African-American justice and chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court; first African-American member of the North Carolina General Assembly Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of California Former politician who represented Illinois's 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives (1995–2012) Businessman and Democratic politician who served as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives; 127th district (2002–2013) Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and Kwun Tong District Board Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit First African-American male to serve as administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (2021–2024); secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (2017–2021) Retired politician who represented the state of New York in the United States House of Representatives (1983–2013) Democratic politician representing the state of Pennsylvania; 19th District
Civil rights
Alumni Class year Notability Reference(s) Civil rights activist; emphasized economic development for poor African-Americans; former program director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; former director of Southern Rural Action Civil rights activist and a central figure in Baltimore's civil rights movement, organizing demonstrations against discrimination throughout Maryland Author; peace activist Civil rights activist; Baptist minister; candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination (1984 and 1988); shadow U.S. senator for the District of Columbia (1991–1997); founder of the organizations that merged to form Rainbow/Push Coalition Business professor, entrepreneur, social justice advocate, national spokesman for the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition (born Ezell A. Blair, Jr.) Civil rights activist and member of the Greensboro Four/A&T Four; staged a sit-in at the Woolworth lunch counter in downtown Greensboro on February 1, 1960 Civil rights activist and member of the Greensboro Four/A&T Four; staged a sit-in at the Woolworth lunch counter in downtown Greensboro on February 1, 1960 Civil rights activist and member of the Greensboro Four/A&T Four; staged a sit-in at the Woolworth lunch counter in downtown Greensboro on February 1, 1960 Civil rights activist and member of the Greensboro Four/A&T Four; staged a sit-in at the Woolworth lunch counter in downtown Greensboro on February 1, 1960
Corporate and business Alumni Class year Notability Reference(s) Entrepreneur; founder and CEO of ACT-1 Group, the largest minority woman-owned employment agency in the US Businessman and hair care entrepreneur; founder, president and CEO of Dudley Products Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of hair and skin care products for the African-American community Businesswoman and philanthropist; first African-American vice president at Progress Energy Inc and Duke Energy
Arts and entertainment
Alumni Class year Notability Reference(s) Motivational speaker, attorney, political activist, and radio talk show host Jazz alto saxophonist; 2012 inductee to the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame Actress Actor and television personality; host of BET's 106 & Park; co-anchor of E! News Sybil Lynch R&B and pop singer–songwriter
Military
Alumni Class year Notability Reference(s) Former chief of the United States Army Nurse Corps (1987–1991); first woman to receive her master's degree in military arts and sciences from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College; first African-American nurse corps officer to graduate from the United States Army War College
Athletics
Alumni Class year Notability Reference(s) Former Major League Baseball first baseman; first African-American player for the St. Louis Cardinals Retired college basketball coach; former men's head coach at Jackson State University and Murray State University Retired NBA player; one of the first African-American coaches in the NBA when he was named player-coach of the Golden State Warriors during the 1969–70 season Former Olympic athlete; set a 22-year world record in the long jump at the 1968 Summer Olympics World class international sprinter, broke 10-second barrier in 100 meters 2003 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee; played with the NFL's Houston Oilers; first N.C. A&T alum elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Retired NBA player; played for the Portland Trail Blazers Former NFL player and coach; played for the San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints (1979–1988); four-time Super Bowl champion (XVI, XIX, XXIII and XXIX) Former NFL player for the Pittsburgh Steelers Professional basketball player Former NFL player for the Chicago Bears Former ABA and NBA player Former NFL player; played with the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, and Carolina Panthers Former NBA referee (1972–2001); current assistant supervisor of officials in the NBA front office Harold HairNegro League baseball player for Birmingham Barons and Kansas City Monarchs Former NFL player; played with the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, and Minnesota Vikings Retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher; 1983 National League Relief Pitcher of the Year and 1984 MLB All Star Former professional baseball player; one of three women, and the first female pitcher, to play in the Negro leagues Former NFL player; played with the Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints Head coach of the Hampton Pirates Sprinter who represented the United States Virgin Islands at the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympic Games; first A&T athlete to ever compete at the Olympics NFL player for the Oakland Raiders Former NFL player, now coach; played his entire 12-year NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers; assistant coach with the Miami Dolphins (1985–present) Former professional football player with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; current college football coach Sprinter, gold medalist at 2020 Summer Olympics in the 4 × 400 metres relay World class international sprinter for the United States College football coach at Florida A&M University; coached N.C. A&T to 2003 MEAC football championship Two-time National Basketball Association Champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers Retired NFL player; played with the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers Sprinter, gold and bronze medalist at 2020 Summer Olympics in the 4 X 400 and mixed 4 x 400 meter relays Professional basketball player
Miscellaneous Alumni Class year Notability Reference(s) Senior leader of Al-Qaeda, "principal architect" of the September 11 attacks William "Billy" Queen Former undercover agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the author of the bestselling book Under and Alone Attempted assassin of then-former U.S. President Donald Trump in September 2024
Notes
Al Attles graduated from N.C. A&T with both a B.A. in History and a B.S. in Physical Education. Franklin McCain received bachelor's degrees in both biology and chemistry from A&T in 1964.
References