U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock is set to deliver the sermon at Washington National Cathedral for its annual HBCU Sunday on February 16th a special Black History Month service honoring the legacy of historically Black colleges and universities.

For many, this isn’t just another church service. It’s a homecoming. A celebration. This is a powerful reminder of the impact of HBCUs and the faith that has carried these institutions and their students for generations.

Warnock, who serves as senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, will preach from the same platform where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his final Sunday sermon in 1968. This isn’t Warnock’s first time at the cathedral, he last spoke there for Juneteenth 2023 but this moment holds deeper meaning, given his own HBCU roots.

This year marks the fifth annual HBCU Sunday at the cathedral, an event that draws hundreds of HBCU students, alumni, and supporters. The service will also feature music from the North Carolina Central University Choir, making it an experience that blends faith, history, and culture in a way only an HBCU celebration can.

HBCUs have been shaping Black excellence for over a century. With more than 100 HBCUs across the U.S., these institutions were founded mostly in the South after the Civil War to educate Black students who were once denied access to higher learning. Beyond academics, HBCUs have created a space for students to embrace their identity, culture, and community while producing some of the country’s most influential leaders.

Warnock himself is a product of that legacy. Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, to parents who were both pastors, he attended Morehouse College, where the teachings of Dr. King deeply influenced him. He later earned his doctorate from Union Theological Seminary and, in 2005, became the youngest senior pastor in the history of Ebenezer Baptist Church.

In 2021, Warnock made history again when he was elected as the first Black Democratic U.S. senator from a Deep South state, securing re-election in 2022. Whether in the church or in politics, his voice has remained rooted in the fight for justice, making him a fitting speaker for this HBCU Sunday service.

HBCU Sunday isn’t just about looking back it’s about carrying the legacy forward. It’s about remembering the institutions that nurtured generations of Black leaders and celebrating the ones still making history today.

For anyone who’s ever walked the yard at an HBCU, felt the energy of Homecoming, or found family in classmates and professors, this service is a moment to reflect on that journey. With Warnock delivering the word and NCCU’s choir setting the tone, this is shaping up to be an unforgettable celebration of faith, culture, and Black excellence.