Texas Southern University Debate Team Honors Dr. Thomas F. Freeman with Historic World Championship Win

It’s a victory decades in the making — and one that carries profound emotional weight.

For the first time since the passing of their beloved founder, Dr. Thomas F. Freeman, the Texas Southern University (TSU) debate team has reclaimed global glory. The prestigious Historically Black College and University (HBCU) captured its fifth world championship title at the Annual International Forensics Association Speech and Debate Tournament in Incheon, South Korea, held on March 16, 2025 (Black Enterprise, 2025).

The international triumph marks a symbolic new chapter for the team, which continues to embody the spirit and discipline of Dr. Freeman — the pioneering educator and orator who founded the TSU Debate Team more than seven decades ago.

“We’ve won first place in all four of our tournaments this season, and to top it off with the world championship was both wonderful and heartwarming,” said head coach Gloria Batiste-Roberts, who has led the team since 2013. “The spirit of Dr. Freeman’s teachings is still so alive and well in everything we do” (ABC13 Houston, 2025).

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A Legacy That Shaped Generations

Dr. Thomas F. Freeman was far more than a debate coach — he was a cultural architect and moral leader. A renowned minister, scholar, and orator, he founded the TSU debate program in 1949, guiding generations of students with his philosophy of intellectual rigor, faith, and eloquence. His career spanned more than six decades, and he continued teaching and mentoring until his retirement in 2013 (Houston Chronicle, 2020).

Freeman’s profound influence extended beyond the campus. He coached members of the Wiley College debate team, which inspired the 2007 film “The Great Debaters” starring Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker. Washington himself trained under Dr. Freeman in preparation for his role, later describing him as “a man who embodies the art of persuasion and the power of purpose” (Texas Southern University Newsroom, 2018).

Among the debate team’s distinguished alumni are civic and political trailblazers, including Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Reverend James Dixon, Houston’s first Black city attorney Otis King, and U.S. Representative Barbara Jordan, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress from the Deep South.

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A Global Victory Built on Resilience

This year’s competition in South Korea was particularly significant for TSU’s students — many of whom were traveling abroad for the first time. Competing against 27 universities from around the world, the team not only clinched the overall world championship title but also earned 21 individual awards and the sweepstakes award, making them the most decorated group in the tournament (Black Enterprise, 2025).

Their performance was especially strong in the poetry interpretation and dramatic interpretation categories, where TSU debaters placed first. For the students, this wasn’t just an academic victory — it was a deeply personal and cultural milestone that reaffirmed their identity as young scholars from a proud HBCU tradition.

“We’ve maintained the legacy of excellence that Dr. Freeman started,” Batiste-Roberts said. “Our students continue to win and go on to make their mark across the nation — as lawyers, educators, public servants, and thought leaders” (TSU Communications Office, 2025).

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Honoring a Timeless Vision

Dr. Freeman passed away in 2020 at the age of 100, but his vision continues to guide the TSU debate team’s purpose. His philosophy — that communication is not just about argument, but about understanding, empathy, and truth — remains central to their approach.

Today, TSU’s debate legacy serves as a living classroom, where students learn not only how to speak persuasively but also how to lead with wisdom and conviction. As Batiste-Roberts reflected, “Every round we win, every story we tell, carries his voice.”

From Houston to South Korea, the message rings clear: the TSU Debate Team is not only competing — it’s continuing a legacy of excellence that has inspired generations. And as they lift their fifth world title, they do so in the name of the man who taught them that words can change the world.