South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette is calling out professors at South Carolina State University after she was uninvited to give the commencement speech at graduation. South Carolina State President Alexander Conyers confirmed on social media late Wednesday that he had uninvited Evette. Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette to give commencement speech at SC State (Photo: Evette For Governor) “We are grateful to Lt. Gov. Evette for her willingness to engage with our students and for her time and consideration in accepting the invitation,” Conyers said. “Our intent was to provide students with a speaker whose professional journey could offer practical insight and inspiration as they prepare to enter the workforce.” Conyers said they made the decision “out of an abundance of caution.” Kash Patel Tries to Sound Smart, But Accidentally Exposes How Incompetent He Is and Walks Straight Into the Backlash He Didn’t See Coming Evette condemned the decision on X. The fact that a speech had to be canceled for credible safety threats is exactly why we cannot give up the fight to end indoctrination and DEI on campuses once and for all. The root problem is professors who gin up feigned outrage at the detriment of their students, who they… https://t.co/dlmrJe5PTo— Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette (@PamelaEvette) April 29, 2026 “The fact that a speech had to be canceled for credible safety threats is exactly why we cannot give up the fight to end indoctrination and DEI on campuses once and for all,” she wrote. “The root problem is professors who gin up feigned outrage at the detriment of their students, who they should be teaching to think critically. End tenure now!” During a virtual news conference earlier that day, Evette said she planned to deliver what she described as a motivational speech centered on hard work, opportunity, and her personal story, pushing back on suggestions the address would be political. “I’m going to bring a speech that talks about what hard work does…how you can be anything you want to be,” she said in the virtual conference on Facebook. Evette, who is running in the Republican primary for governor, said that she wouldn’t back down from what she referred to as a “woke mob” on the SCSU campus. Typical white bitch playbook. The rocks, hide hands and play victim— Monet’s Fur (@LJtwistedlove) April 30, 2026 The university is the state’s only publicly-funded historically Black college. Since the rumor that Evette would give the speech, students have organized protests, calling for the school to change course. Joshua Singleton told WLTX he’s a graduating senior and that he attended some of the protests. “The environment was really passionate,” he told WLTX. “All of the students came, we came together we had chants, and we went inside the president’s building in silence and just sat there until they came out and spoke to us so we could tell them our concerns about the commencement speaker.” According to a Change.org petition launched by students, Evette does not reflect the values of the student body, citing concerns about her political positions and affiliations. There are more than 13,000 signatures. A video of students chanting “we are not a mob, we are just aware,” has also gone viral online. Evette said she wanted to clarify why, during a news conference earlier that week, she referred to student protestors as a “woke mob.” “Anytime you have people with signs and bullhorns, and yelling that I am pro life … and I am against DEI. And I am a big supporter of the president, right? Those are all facts, but there’s a better way to do things,” Evette responded. “And if these are well-educated young adults, and we should all be able to attend anything and hear opposing views and be OK with that, but yelling and chanting and screaming is what we’re seeing happen all over the country, from California to New York. We are seeing it all over. It can’t happen here.” Evette repeatedly brought up the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a Utah college campus last fall. “When you take constructive dialogue, which Charlie Kirk was trying to do, and what did he say? When people stop talking, when people stop listening to each other, is when violence happens,” she said. “There were always great and better ways to do things than what was happening. And what we saw with hundreds of people coming together, yelling and chanting is a mob.” Evette said Conyers invited her to speak at commencement back in December. WIS reports Conyers told students staging a sit-in campus protest on April 28 that he heard their concerns, as he also explained why he felt they should hear from Evette. “She has a story, if you will listen to it,” he said. “She’s a female business owner, a millionaire business owner. She has a story that none of you may not know, that I’m not fully aware. I know a lot of it. But again, a decision was discussed. I’ve heard your concerns. And as updates become available, we will certainly update you.” “So knowing that she’s on the upcoming ballot and [Gov.] Henry McMaster has endorsed her, does that mean that gives students a right to feel like, oh, we should vote for her just because she’s our presidential speaker?” one student asked. “Absolutely not,” Conyers said. “I would never encourage anyone to vote for anyone.” In the newly released statement, Conyers commended students for “exercising their rights in a manner that reflects the importance of civic engagement.” “SC State is, and must continue to be, a place where ideas can be exchanged freely and constructively. The voices and perspectives of our students are an important part of the academic experience and contribute to the ongoing dialogue that strengthens our university community.” Students at South Carolina State told WIS they plan to protest throughout the week. Atlanta Black Star was told by a member of Evette’s staff on Wednesday that she would be available to answer questions about the situation. When our reporter tried to call on Thursday, she was hung up on twice. South Carolina State’s commencement ceremony is scheduled for May 8. ‘Typical’: HBCU Cancels MAGA Lt. Governor’s Speech After She Calls Student Protestors ‘Woke Mob,’ Then She Tries to ‘Play Victim’ ...read more read less