Well-known actor and activist Lamman Rucker has been named as the guest speaker for the 2022 Our Mississippi Honors Gala event chair and Our Mississippi magazine publisher Wesley Wells announced today.

“We are so excited to have Mr. Rucker join us for this great event,” Wells said. “He has had a very distinguished career, both on and off the big screen. He is still very active today and we are honored to have someone with his talents coming here to Tupelo. I’m sure he’ll deliver us a great message while at the same time being available to spend some time with his fans here in Mississippi.”

Rucker is best known for his roles in the Tyler Perry‘s films, Why Did I Get Married? (2007) and Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010). He played Will Brown in the 2008 film Meet The Browns. He later had a starring role on Perry’s sitcom Meet the Browns, reprising his role as Will from 2009 to 2011. He later had roles in a number of small movies and TV movies. 

In 2015, Rucker was cast as one of the leads in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Greenleaf. He plays Jacob Greenleaf, the eldest son of Lynn Whitfield and Keith David‘s characters.

Rucker is a passionate activist and spokesperson for several non-profit organizations and community action initiatives, including Tied To Greatness, Art Creates Life, Green For All, Good Ground-Good Life, A.H.E.A.D., Inc., Inner City Industry, BET’s Rap-It-Up campaign, the Black AIDS Institute, The Magic Johnson Foundation and several other grass-roots organizations across the country, leading the way in uplifting communities, empowering youth, saving our environment and encouraging prevention, education and testing initiatives for HIV/AIDS.

He has served in several educational capacities in the areas of arts and theater; health and wellness as well as entrepreneurship and financial empowerment workshops that aid in practical tools for saving, living debt-free, and investing wisely.

“He’s a very talented actor that cares about his fellow human beings,” Wells added. “His passion for his work and his causes outside of work are amazing. We so much look forward to his visit.”

Rucker’s major role came in 2002 when he assumed the role of attorney T. Marshall Travers on the CBS daytime soap opera As the World Turns, opposite Tamara Tunie. He left the series the following year and portrayed Garret Williams on ABC soap opera All My Children in 2005. He also had the recurring roles on the UPN sitcoms All of Us and Half & Half.

The gala takes place at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, 2022 at the BancorpSouth Conference Center in Tupelo. General admission tickets for the event can be purchased online at www.ourmisshonors.com for $75 each. Tickets are also available by calling (662) 871-8244. The ticket includes entry into the event as well as a plated dinner and entertainment.

Reserved tables of 10 are also available.