Legacy, Leadership, and Life Lessons: Kinsey Family Honored at FAMU Graduation

The Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center at Florida A&M University buzzed with chatter, laughter and wide smiles as the university held its second commencement ceremony of the weekend on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 9 a.m.

Graduates from the College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, College of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities, Military Commissioning Program, School of Architecture and Engineering Technology, and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering took center stage.

Noted FAMU alumnus Bernard Kinsey, L.H.D., delivered the keynote address. He was the first alum to receive the Honorary Doctoral of Humane Letters from FAMU. He also holds an honorary doctorate from Alabama A&M University.

FAMU also conferred honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees upon his wife and son, distinguished alumni Shirley P. Kinsey and Khalil B. Kinsey, in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to African American art, history, and education.

Before Kinsey took the stage, the family gathered in the media room for photos with university leaders and reflected on what it meant to return to the Hill.

“One word is special. One word is moving; surreal,” said Khalil, his voice swelling with emotion. “Just incredibly important to our family. This is a beautiful day. One that is still sinking in. It’s two parts. One is a testament to the work that we’ve been doing together and the power of FAMU.”

Khalil serves as chief operating officer and chief curator of The Kinsey Collection, and as director of The Kinsey Foundation, helping bring their groundbreaking collection to more than 16 million visitors worldwide. His work focuses on elevating African American history and expanding access through art, education and advocacy. As an entrepreneur and cultural innovator, Khalil also co-founded Context Projects, Natural Action—a nonprofit wine club—and Offhand Wine Bar in Santa Monica.

FAMU Interim President Timothy Beard presents FAMU alum Khalil Kinsey with his honorary doctorate. (Photo by Glenn Beil/FAMU Communications)

“It’s wonderful to walk across the stage today in a cap and gown for the first time,” Shirley said, noting she graduated from FAMU in June 1967 but didn’t return for the August commencement. “This is a very special day to share with my son Khalil, receiving an honorary doctorate degree together. This is a first and unheard of moment for us.”

Shirley, a St. Augustine native and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member, co-founded The Kinsey African American Art & History Collection with her husband of 58 years. Together, they’ve raised more than $36 million for education and charitable causes and built one of the nation’s most extensive African American art and historical archives, exhibited at more than 40 premier institutions, including the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

Rattler Spirit, pay it forward

Board of Trustees Chair Kristin Harper greeted graduates with words that paid homage to FAMU’s history while calling them to action.

“The very ground we walk on tells the story of a people who refused to back down. (People) who believed in education as a ladder to opportunity. We’ve always had to fight for FAMU, and today is no different. With a legacy as rich as ours comes responsibility, responsibility to represent the Rattler spirit in everything you do,” said Harper, herself a proud alumna.

Board of Trustees Chair Kristin Harper is a former FAMU SGA president.
(Photo by Glenn Beil/FAMU Communcations)

Her words weren’t just a call for representation—they were a challenge to carry the weight of FAMU’s history with them, to turn pride into action and memory into momentum.

“As you leave the highest of seven hills today, FAMU’s story becomes yours to tell and yours to write, write it boldly, lead with courage, remember where you came fro,m and do your part to ensure that FAMU continues to produce generations of great scholars just like you,” she urged.

Nuggets and Kinseyisms

Kinsey, in his keynote, shared reflections shaped by experience, grit and gratitude—including a recent chapter living in a hotel since January after losing his home to the California wildfires.

“You can take a lot of different approaches to the fires. Our approach is that we’re grateful. We have the ability to bounce back and the ability to move forward and that’s what every one of you have to do,” he said.

Kinsey reminisced about his parents attending FAMU in 1939, proudly noting his mother played cymbals in the Marching 100. He also met his wife at the institution. 

“I made two decisions that were the best decisions of my life. The first one was marrying Shirley P. Kinsey. One of the best and biggest decisions you have to make is picking your partner. You mess that up, you’ve got a real problem,” he said, before adding, “What you have to do is find someone who sees the future as you see it. That’s where you’re going. You’re not looking back. You’re going forward."

Distinguished FAMU alum Bernard Kinsey, Ph.D., poured into the Spring class of 2025 with his 'nuggets.' (Photo by Glenn Beil/FAMU Communications)

Kinsey shared how, after earning their FAMU degrees, he and Shirley left Florida with $26 and a job—and made a life-changing decision. “We have accomplished almost everything we set out to do in 1967 and that was simply to construct a life. This isn’t about careers. This is about a life.”

The couple's decision not to spend Shirley's paycheck for 15 years allowed them to retire in 1991, Kinsey revealed, noting, “Freedom is waking up, going back to sleep and nothing changes,” to which the audience responded with laughter. 

Throughout his address, Kinsey offered “nuggets” and “Kinseyisms” for the graduates—life lessons earned across decades of building, saving and investing in his community. He urged them to “stop buying from companies that do not support you or your communities” and to champion the fight for equal rights.

“No one can take our history from us because guess what they didn’t give it to us,” Kinsey declared.

Two graduates show their elation as they reach the apex of their academic journey at FAMU. (Photo by Glenn Beil/FAMU Communications)

 

He told graduates there are three kinds of people in the world: “One who dreams for 12 hours and does little work. The second one works nonstop and never dreams. The third one dreams for an hour and spends the rest of their day making it happen.”

Kinsey also noted three essentials for a successful life telling graduates to make sure they have: “Something to do. Someone to love. And something to look forward to.”

“He who starts behind in the great race of life must remain behind or run faster than the man in front,” Kinsey said, adding, “Simply, the measure of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, but rather we provide enough for the people who have too little.”

One graduate shows that she stands out in a crowd. (Photo by Glenn Beil/FAMU Communications)

He closed with a signature Kinseyism: “If your vision for life is measured by status, your upkeep will be your downfall. The goal is to win, not to look like you’re winning. Stop spending money making other people rich. Stop wearing other people’s names and initials,” he stressed, reminding them: the less you have, the more you pay.

He emphasized having an uplifting circle of people: “You need to be around people that encourage you, you can’t always encourage everyone else.”

He didn’t shy away from hard truths: “Obstacles are those things that get in the way when you take your eye off the ball. Be careful what you think because frankly, you don’t know where it came from,” he said. “Start being a critical thinker. A critical thinker examines what they bring into their consciousness and, more importantly, what they put out of their mouths.”

In closing, Kinsey left the audience with a clear choice: “This work is hard, unemployment is harder—choose hard. Marriage is hard, divorce is harder. Choose your hard. Exercise is hard. Obesity is harder. Saving and investing is hard, but being poor is harder.”

And he ended with a reminder to keep joy at the center: “Count your life by smiles, not tears, count your age by friends, not years. Remember, we do not quit playing because we grow old. We grow old because we quit playing.”

One grad making sure the other looks her best. (Photo by Glenn Beil/FAMU Communications)

Interim President Timothy Beard, Ph.D., also bestowed congratulations to graduates and their families, applauding their perseverance.

“You took the time to learn; Now it’s time for you to earn so that you can return to pay it forward one day,” he said.

FAMU Spring 2025 commencement brought out all the joy and happiness. (Photo by Glenn Beil/FAMU Communications)

In his closing charge, Beard framed graduation not as an ending, but as an invitation to lift as they climb and bring FAMU’s mission into every room they enter.

“Thank you for allowing FAMU to be a part of your journey. May the spirit of our motto, ‘Excellence with Caring,’ continue to inspire you as you move forward, and may it light your path to an even brighter future,” he said.

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