What do Will Packer, MC Lyte, and Fantasia have in common? Aside from being celebrities in film and music, they’re all associated with HBCUs. Now BET is honoring Packer and Fantasia and MC Lyte are performing at the 2nd annual HBCU Honors.
The show will be filmed on Nov. 14 at Howard University’s Cramton Auditorium to air on the network on Dec. 1.
Fisk University graduate Kym Whitley will host. Packer, the producer behind hits like the movie Girl’s Trip and the recent limited series Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist starring Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, and Samuel L. Jackson on Peacock, is a FAMU graduate. MC Lyte, born Lana Moorer, is a longtime member of the Board of Trustees at Dillard University.
“HBCUs have been the cornerstone of Black success for generations. My time at Florida A&M University shaped who I am as a filmmaker and as a person,” Packer said in a statement. “Receiving this honor from a platform that celebrates that legacy is incredibly meaningful to me. I’m proud to be part of this event that champions Black stories and excellence.”
Fantasia attended college classes at Ohio’s Central State University in 2023, looking to earn a degree in business.
Inventor and former NASA engineer Dr. Lonnie Johnson, best known for inventing the Super Soaker water gun, will be honored. He’s an alumnus of Tuskegee University. Entrepreneur and venture capitalist Jewel Burks Solomon, a Howard graduate, will also be recognized.
“Hosting HBCU Honors is truly a privilege,” Whitley said. “I owe so much to my time at Fisk University. HBCUs gave me the tools to succeed, and it’s an honor to stand on that stage and celebrate the incredible people who are making history today. This event is all about Black excellence, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”
HBCU Honors airs on Sunday, Dec. 1, at 8 p.m. on BET.