On October 17, 2025, during Miles College's star-studded Top 50 Alumni Awards gala in Birmingham, Alabama, the comedy legend strutted across the stage in cap and gown to accept an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters.
The pint-sized powerhouse of punchlines strutted onto the stage to accept an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters. That's right—comedic legend Katt Williams is now ... Dr. Katt Williams.
Receiving the Honorary Doctorate
Miles College President Dr. Bobbie Knight set the tone with a mic-drop introduction: "It’s not every day that people get an honorary doctorate. It’s because of you and what you have done, and we just want to show you how much we appreciate you and recognize you for the work you have done.
This honor dropped during Miles College's Homecoming Week, which kicked off with a Legacy Golf Classic at Greystone Golf & Country Club—benefiting the school in partnership with Williams' upcoming Kemet movie studio. Yes, you read that right: Katt's not just collecting degrees; he's building empires.
Katt Williams & Miles College Partnership
The real mic-drop? A game-changing partnership between Williams and Miles. The comedian's building Kattpacalypse Studios on the former Fort McClellan site in Anniston, Alabama—a $100 million-plus venture he announced in 2024 to "take the pressure off Tyler Perry" and create Black-led film magic.
"I serve a God that insists that my cup runneth over. And those smiles that I sell for a living—those have Miles right in the middle of it."
Miles College Students
Miles Students? They're getting front-row seats to internships, AI-driven workshops, and real-world gigs, aligning with the college's push to weave tech into every corner of campus life. As Miles' Chief Innovation Officer Chuck Faush put it, this collab "creates career ladders and provides real-world learning for our student entrepreneurs." In HBCU terms, that's like handing out rocket fuel instead of participation trophies—empowering the next wave of creators while shouting out Black excellence.
For those who've followed Williams' wild ride—from The Boondocks voice-overs to that record-shattering 2024 Netflix Special Woke Foke (13.1 million views and counting)—this feels like destiny. He's not just collecting accolades; he's building empires that uplift. And if his Club Shay Shay rants taught us anything, it's that the industry needs more Katts: unfiltered, unbreakable, and unafraid to speak up, and speak out.
Katt Williams earned honorary Doctorate Degree from Miles College in Birmingham. #DrWilliams
— ONE SHOT (@Tennesseesradio) October 20, 2025
Legendary comedian Mark Curry attending his commencement ceremony. pic.twitter.com/pFmDdBp7Yv
Katt Williams, Early Days
Let's rewind the tape: Williams, born Micah Williams on September 2, 1971, in Cincinnati and raised in Dayton, Ohio, has always been exceptional. He hustled as a door-to-door salesman before hitting the comedy circuit in Cincinnati's Avondale neighborhood. By 1999, he was slaying stages at The Improv and BET's ComicView as "Katt in da Hatt," channeling influences like Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, and Dave Chappelle into razor-sharp routines on race, relationships, and roast beef. Fast-forward through blockbusters like Friday After Next, Norbit, and that Emmy-winning Atlanta guest spot, and you've got a career that's sold out and continue to sell out arenas worldwide.
Upcoming Major TV Specials & Events for Katt Williams
- Heaven on Earth Tour (Ongoing through Fall 2025): Katt's explosive stand-up trek hits arenas nationwide, featuring fresh material post-Woke Foke:
- Woke Foke: Watch for extensions from his Netflix dominance—Woke Foke remains 2024's top-viewed comedy event
About Katt Williams
Katt Williams (born Micah Williams, September 2, 1971) is a trailblazing American comedian, actor, and rapper whose career spans over two decades of sold-out tours, Emmy wins, and boundary-pushing specials like The Pimp Chronicles Pt. 1 (2006) and World War III (2018). Rising from Cincinnati's comedy clubs, he's starred in hits like Norbit and voiced icons in The Boondocks. A self-proclaimed genius with early academic feats, Williams champions Black storytelling through his upcoming Kattpacalypse Studios
About Miles College
Founded in 1898 by the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Fairfield, Alabama, Miles College is a private HBCU and United Negro College Fund member offering baccalaureate degrees in fields like business, education, and sciences. With roots in post-slavery empowerment, it boasts a legacy of activism—from '60s civil rights roots to modern innovations under President Dr. Bobbie Knight. Home to the Golden Bears and the famed Purple Marching Machine, Miles enrolls 1,500+ students on a historic campus blending tradition and tech.
