South Carolina Republicans Threaten to Defund HBCU Following Commencement Speaker Controversy

South Carolina Republicans are moving to strip funding from the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU) after the institution rescinded Republican Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette’s invitation to deliver the spring commencement address.

South Carolina State University officials cited “credible safety threats” as the reason for canceling Evette’s appearance following extensive student protests across campus. Students had voiced opposition to Evette’s positions on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, abortion rights, and her support for former President Donald Trump.

In announcing the decision to withdraw the invitation, University President Alexander Conyers emphasized that Evette had initially been selected based on her business achievements. “Our decision to invite Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette as our Spring 2026 Commencement speaker was rooted in her record as a business leader and entrepreneur,” Conyers stated. “As the founder and former CEO of a company that grew from a startup into a billion-dollar enterprise, she represents the kind of innovation, resilience and real-world achievement that aligns with the aspirations of our graduates.”

According to Evette, who is also running for governor, the university had extended the invitation in December. She told Fox News Digital that she had not publicly discussed her planned remarks prior to the controversy.

“It’s what we’ve seen all across the country,” Evette said. “Somebody with a conservative point of view shows up and everybody wants to cancel them. We saw it with Charlie Kirk, and we saw with Riley Gaines, and we’ve seen it with Ben Shapiro. I never thought I’d be in that kind of list, but here we are and it’s a real shame and it has to end.”

Evette’s characterization of the protesters as a “woke mob” drew additional criticism, though she stood by her statement in subsequent interviews.

Student demonstrations included marches around campus, with participants chanting “Hey, hey! Ho! Ho! Pamela Evette gots to go!” Student Government Association President Zaria Tucker clarified that the protests weren’t simply about political differences. “Commencement is not about politics, but more about representation. What we need as students. Not someone to come and tell us what they need to do as governor, or another position that they’re running for in this state,” Tucker said.

In response to the university’s decision, Republican state legislators from the House Freedom Caucus issued a strongly worded statement calling the cancellation “shameful” and “inexcusable.” Nine GOP South Carolina state lawmakers signed a letter requesting that the state’s only public HBCU receive no funding in the upcoming state budget.

“If the Lt. Gov. of South Carolina is unwelcome due to different political ideologies and an inability to keep her safe, it is time to defund and reevaluate,” the letter concluded.

The funding threat comes despite what Evette describes as consistent support for HBCUs from both her office and that of current Governor Henry McMaster. She noted that despite a Republican supermajority in the state legislature, “we have been very supportive” of HBCU funding initiatives.

The controversy highlights growing tensions at universities nationwide over campus speech and political representation. Critics of the Republican response point out that the school previously invited then-Democratic President Joe Biden to speak at their 2021 commencement ceremony when Conyers was serving as interim president.

This incident adds to ongoing national debates about political diversity and free speech on college campuses, as similar controversies have erupted at institutions across the country involving conservative speakers. The potential defunding of South Carolina State University would have significant implications for higher education access in the state, particularly for minority students who make up the majority of the HBCU’s enrollment.