Three HBCU programs just proved that the future of sports media is being built on Black college campuses.
At the 47th Annual Sports Emmy Awards in New York City, students from Morehouse College, Florida A&M University, and Delaware State University were honored as the winners of the 2026 Coca-Cola HBCU Sports Production Grant. The competition, now in its fifth year, distributes $40,000 in total funding to HBCU student storytellers who demonstrate a passion for sports journalism and media production. This year saw a record-breaking 88% increase in submissions — a sign that HBCU students are showing up for this opportunity in a major way.
Morehouse Takes First Place With a Powerful Story
First place and a $25,000 grant went to Morehouse College graduates Stevie Jackson, Mateo McIntosh, Makai Brown, Ian Chamberlin, and Salahuddin Saafir for their documentary Before the Bell, a film that traces the origins of the Morehouse Boxing Club through the eyes of its founder, Jacoby Bell.
The film goes far beyond the sport itself. Written, directed, shot, and edited by Jackson through his creative media company AKSHN, Before the Bell explores mental health, brotherhood, discipline, and the kind of transformation that happens when young Black men find community through competition. Jackson spent time listening carefully to the lived experiences of Bell and his teammates rather than pushing a predetermined storyline — and the result is a deeply personal portrait of what sport can mean at an HBCU…