Earlier this year, NAACP chairman Julian Bond journeyed to the U.S. Supreme Court to interview Justice Clarence Thomas.

The event was somewhat historic, in part because Bond — a staunch supporter of affirmative action and other social programs — has long been a critic of the policies and positions espoused by Thomas.

But now, both of these historic figures in Black history are the subjects of much scrutiny as they prepare to deliver commencement speeches this month at two East Coast universities.

A group of conservative students at The George Washington University have criticized the school’s administration for inviting Bond, arguing that he has made disparaging comments when he equated the Republican Party with the Nazi Party and characterized Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her predecessor, Colin Powell, as tokens.

And at the University of Georgia, the decision to invite Thomas — the second African-American to serve on the high court — has been met with opposition from faculty and staff. Minority student groups and women groups on campus are leading the charge.

UGA’s President Michael Adams defended the selection of Thomas.

“We’re not going to have a political litmus test at the University of Georgia over who speaks at the university,” Adams says, telling students and faculty to “embarrass neither themselves nor Justice Thomas” when he speaks at UGA’s undergraduate commencement exercises on May 10.

The selection of commencement speakers is often controversial. And some speakers often widen the division that already exists on campus, by using the occasion to push forward controversial positions.

At GW, the College Republicans are protesting the decision to grant Bond an Honorary Doctor of Public Service degree, saying that he is divisive figure.

“We don’t take issue with the NAACP per se, but the things that Mr. Bond has said about the Republican Party are untrue and, as an organization, we had to say something about it.”