HBCU Chess Spotlight: North Carolina A&T
Photo by Daaim Shabazz/The Chess Drum
Dressed in their North Carolina A&T gear, “Aggie Pride” was on full display at the 2024 HBCU Chess Classic. Currently the largest HBCU, the Aggies rode six hours from North Carolina to Atlanta to improve on last year’s performance last year. Nicolas Perkins, a junior engineering major, led the nine-player delegation on the six-hour journey. The return trip was sweet as the Aggies took the team title and road home with the trophy. Billy Lewis took 2nd place in the individual standings.
In his freshman year at NCAT, Perkins was surprised that there was no active chess club, so he set out to start one. A third-generation Aggie, Perkins, gave a short interview where he recounted how he learned chess, the NCAT chess environment, and his suggestion on what needs to be done to expand on the HBCU chess. He will remain president next year as the club continues to grow from its current number of 10-15 core members.
Nicolas Perkins, North Carolina A&T
