The Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, the third-oldest operating Black publication in the United States, will have a significant presence in bringing the Fifth Annual HBCU All-Star Game to the Circle City this April.
Four members of the Recorder’s leadership and reporting staff have been named to the Local Organizing Committee for the event.
President and CEO of Recorder Media Group Robert Shegog; Multimedia and senior sports reporter Noral Parham; senior sports photographer Walt Thomas; and sports photographer David Dixon will serve on the committee tasked with welcoming the HBCU All-Star festivities to Indy during Men’s NCAA Final Four weekend.
“I am honored to serve on the Indianapolis Local Organizing Committee for the 2026 HBCU All-Star Game,” Shegog said. “Proud to support an event that elevates HBCU excellence, leadership and opportunity on a national stage.”
Before serving on the Local Organizing Committee, Shegog and Parham represented the Indianapolis Recorder and Indiana Minority Business Magazine on the Host Committee for the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis.
The HBCU All-Star Game, scheduled for Easter weekend, April 5, at Corteva Coliseum on the Indiana State Fairgrounds, represents the culmination of a four-day celebration of Black excellence and HBCU culture. The event, now in its fifth year, showcases the top 24 men’s basketball players from across the MEAC, SWAC, CIAA, SIAC, and independent HBCUs, providing them with national exposure during college basketball’s marquee weekend.
“Anytime you get a national global platform as we have, it must be utilized correctly and responsibly,” founder of the HBCU All-Stars Travis Williams said in an earlier interview with the Indianapolis Recorder.
The weekend’s programming extends far beyond the hardwood. Organizers have planned a Professional Pro-Day Combine, which in 2025 attracted scouts from 25 of 30 NBA teams, along with an HBCU college admissions and scholarship fair, a social justice and civil rights breakfast and a fan fest supporting Black and brown business owners.
A cornerstone initiative includes donating caps and gowns to local high school students, with organizers confirming that at least 100 caps and gowns will be distributed to ten Indianapolis-area high schools.
“As someone dedicated to providing the correct narratives for athletes of color, this opportunity is more than just a role — it’s a chance to celebrate our excellence, culture and talent that HBCUs bring to the game,” Parham said. “Let’s get to work.”
The city was initially scheduled to host the inaugural game in 2021, but COVID-19 restrictions forced its cancellation. Five years later, the event expanded in scope, adding a women’s All-Star game.
The Indianapolis Recorder, founded in 1895, has deep roots in documenting and serving the Black community across Indiana. Its inclusion on the Local Organizing Committee reflects the newspaper’s ongoing commitment to elevating stories and events that celebrate Black achievement.
“This is bigger than basketball,” Williams said. “It’s a celebration of Black excellence.”
Tickets for the HBCU All-Star Game are $25 each. For more information on the event and surrounding festivities, visit hbcuallstargame.com.
For more news, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
