By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama State University announced this week that acclaimed actor, comedian, writer, and producer Orlando Jones will serve as the keynote speaker for the University’s 2026 Founders’ Day Ceremony, an annual celebration honoring ASU’s legacy, leadership, and vision for the future.
Founders’ Day activities are scheduled for February 6, beginning at 9 a.m. with a traditional bell-ringing ceremony in front of the Levi Watkins Learning Center. The official Founders’ Day program will follow at 10 a.m. inside the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.
In a statement announcing Jones as the keynote speaker, Alabama State University highlighted his extensive and influential career spanning more than three decades.
“With more than 30 years of groundbreaking work behind him, Jones has helped to shape entertainment in ways few others have,” the statement read. “From his unforgettable role as the African god Anansi in Starz’s American Gods to memorable performances in shows like Abbott Elementary and Swagger, his talent shines in diverse arenas.”
Jones is also widely recognized as a founding cast member of FOX’s MAD TV, where he helped redefine sketch comedy for a new generation. Beyond acting, his creative contributions extend to voice work in animation and gaming, including King of the Hill and Halo 2, as well as influential behind-the-scenes roles as a writer and producer.
ASU officials noted that Jones’s career path mirrors the resilience and innovation celebrated by the University’s founders.
“Jones’s journey — from pioneering cable programming with the FX Network to leading digital productions such as the 88th Academy Awards broadcast — reflects the spirit of determination and change that defines Alabama State University,” the statement said.
Alabama State University was founded on July 18, 1867, in Marion, Alabama. Founders’ Day commemorates the institution’s founders and original trustees — Alexander H. Curtis, James Childs, Nicholas Dale, John Freeman, David Harris, Thomas Lee, Nathan Levert, Joey P. Pinch, and Thomas Speed — collectively known as the Marion Nine, a group of formerly enslaved men.
The observance is traditionally held on or near the birthday of former ASU President William Burns Paterson, widely regarded as the “architect” of modern Alabama State University and instrumental in relocating the institution to Montgomery in 1887.