Some notable Hillman alums are embarking on a national tour of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
In celebration of the sitcom’s 35+ year legacy, the cast of A Different World will reunite for a national 10-city tour across HBCUs. Roll call here: Darryl M. Bell (Ron Johnson); Charnele Brown (Kimberly Reese); Jasmine Guy (Whitley Gilbert-Wayne); Kadeem Hardison (Dwayne Wayne); Dawnn Lewis (Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor); Cree Summer (Winifred Brooks); Glynn Turman (Col. Bradford Taylor); and Sinbad (Walter Oakes) will embark on the tour, which will feature panels and other events.
The stars will be joined by producers Debbie Allen and Susan Fales, according to PEOPLE, which first reported on news of the reunion.
The tour will kick off Feb. 29 in Georgia at Atlanta University Center, which encompasses Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morehouse College. Other locations include Washington, D.C. (hosted by Howard University) and Montgomery, Ala. (hosted by Alabama State University and Tuskegee University), both of which in April but with no definitive date yet. Other locations and dates will be announced soon.
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Participation in the tour will help raise funds for scholarships, per the tour website. “Our mission goes beyond nostalgia,” a statement on the website reads. “We’re on a quest to raise awareness and enrollment for HBCUs nationwide. By leveraging the star power and cultural impact of A Different World, we aim to inspire a new generation to choose HBCUs as their academic homes.”
A spin-off of The Cosby Show, A Different World follows second eldest Huxtable child Denise (Lisa Bonet) as she leaves the nest to attend the fictional historically Black college Hillman in Virginia, where she meets an eclectic group of schoolmates. It ran for six seasons between 1987 and 1993, with Bonet departing after the first season when she became pregnant with daughter Zoë Kravitz. (Bill Cosby, the now-disgraced creator of the series, reportedly objected to the idea of a pregnant Denise.)
Other notable cast members included Marisa Tomei (as Maggie, one of the university’s few white students), who also left the series after one season, and Jada Pinkett Smith.
A Different World is currently streaming on Max.
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