Howard University Charter Day Convocation Program 2022

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HOWARD UNIVERSITY

Charter Day Convocation Commemorating the One Hundred and Fifty-Fifth Anniversary of the Founding of the University

1867-2022 Friday, The Fourth Of March Two Thousand Twenty-Two Eleven O’clock in the Morning Main Campus

HISTORY OFf HOWARD H istory O Howard UNIVERSITY University

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onceived in a prayer meeting of the First Congregational Society after the Civil War and the emancipation of African Americans from slavery, and chartered in 1867 by the United States Congress, Howard University embarked on an extraordinary journey, serving as a platform for the completion of the agenda for freedom as well as negotiating, engaging, responding to, and debating the most salient, highly complex, volatile, and urgent social issues of the nation. And, it regarded that debate as its duty.

Howard’s growth from its ambitious beginnings is, according to its first African American President, Mordecai Wyatt Johnson, “one of the great romances of American education.” Staying on the cutting-edge of excellence, Howard has educated, developed, motivated, and trained innumerable African American scholars, artists, scientists, architects, engineers, physicians, dentists, lawyers, activists, teachers, and public officials who have provided overwhelming evidence that the dream that was Howard has been realized.

These alumni have made, and continue to make, significant contributions to the social and cultural fabric of the nation and the world. They have pioneered, and continue to pioneer, new frontiers in science and medicine which have improved the condition of humankind.

In addition to being that place where countless African Americans have honed their academic talents, Howard remains the place where they can come to full self-consciousness about who and where they are, and where they hope to go professionally.

Moreover, Howard, true to its mission, has helped students become more thoughtful, energetic, ethically aware, and more committed to an effective and democratic society in which the civil rights of minorities and the disadvantaged are protected and promoted. It challenges its students to confront and act upon their own instincts of leadership by involving them in programs of research and community projects. It educates for critical intellects and provides its students with access to a wide range of scholars and world leaders.

Physically, the main campus of Howard has grown from a single-frame building to more than 89 acres, including the sixstory, 500-bed Howard University Hospital. Since 1974, the University has expanded to include a 22-acre West Campus on which the School of Law and the School of Divinity are located; and a 108-acre tract of land in Beltsville, Maryland.

The University’s libraries contain more than 1.8 million volumes, including the Channing Pollock Collection. Another significant library resource is the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center which has one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of works by and about African Americans, Africa and the African Diaspora. The University’s radio station, WHUR-FM, serves the Washington area and is a broadcast training laboratory for students enrolled in the School of Communications. The University’s television station, WHUT-TV, has been in operation since November 17, 1980.

Howard has earned a place as one of the leading institutions of higher education in the United States. Presently, the University has an enrollment of approximately 10,000 students who come from virtually every state in the Union, the District of Columbia, and 71 countries and has on its faculty more Black scholars than any institution of higher learning in the world.

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dr. Laurence C. Morse, Chairman Minnie V. Baylor-Henry, Esq. Dr. Charles M. Boyd Mr. Chris Carr Mr. Donald B. Christian Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick President Mr. Godfrey Gill Dr. Richard Goodman

Reverend Dr. Michele Hagans Ms. Leslie D. Hale Vice Chair Dr. Danette G. Howard The Honorable Alphonso R. Jackson The Honorable Marie C. Johns Ms. Tyra A. Mariani Mr. Mark A. L. Mason Vice Chair

Mr. James J. Murren Ms. Hilary Rosen The Honorable Ronald A. Rosenfeld Mr. Shelley Stewart, Jr. Mr. Bruce E. Thompson Dr. Reed V. Tuckson Mr. Chris Washington

THE TRUSTEES EMERITI Dr. John E. Jacob, Chairman Emeritus Mr. Robert L. Lumpkins The Honorable Gabrielle K. McDonald Stacey J. Mobley, Esq., Chairman Emeritus Richard D. Parsons, Esq. Martin D. Payson, Esq. The Honorable M. Kasim Reed Mr. Frank Savage, Chairman Emeritus The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder Mrs. Benaree P. Wiley PATRON EX-OFFICIO The Honorable Miguel A. Cardona United States Secretary of Education

THE OFFICERS OF THE UNIVERSITY Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick President

Dr. Anthony K. Wutoh Provost and Chief Academic Officer

Dr. Tashni-Ann Dubroy Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Mr. David P. Bennett Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations

Mr. Frank L. Tramble Vice President and Chief Communications Officer

Dr. Cynthia Evers Vice President for Student Affairs

Dr. Hugh E. Mighty Senior Vice President of Health Affairs

Ms. Debbi Jarvis Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations

Mr. Stephen A. Graham Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Florence W. Prioleau, Esq. Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Mr. Rashad M. Young Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer

The 2022 Charter Day Convocation Program Presiding DR. WAYNE A. I. FREDERICK President, Howard University Charles R. Drew Endowed Chair of Surgery THE PRESENTATION OF COLORS FRANCIS SCOTT KEY The National Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Langston Hughes, Alto Saxophone Soloist JAMES WELDON JOHNSON Lift Every Voice and Sing Langston Hughes, Alto Saxophone Soloist THE INVOCATION The Reverend Dr. Bernard L. Richardson Dean, Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel THE WELCOME Dr. Laurence C. Morse Chairman, Howard University Board of Trustees THE MUSIC Uzee Brown, Jr., Arr. This River Kason Collins, Tenor Soloist Edmond Charles, Pianist THE INTRODUCTION OF THE CONVOCATION ORATOR Dr. Frederick THE CONVOCATION ADDRESS The Honorable Gregory Weldon Meeks United States House of Representatives 5th Congressional District, New York THE MUSIC Eric O. Poole, Arr. Don’t You Let Nobody Turn You Aroun’ The Howard University Singers Melissa Constantin, Soprano Soloist Dr. Eric O. Poole, Conductor THE CLOSING REMARKS Dr. Frederick

THE BENEDICTION Dr. Richardson

THE ALMA MATER

THE CONVOCATION SPEAKER Congressman Meeks’ compassion and ability to collaborate are rooted in his upbringing. He grew up in a public housing project and knew in his early years that he wanted to be a lawyer. He was inspired by a mother and father who worked hard to ensure that their children would have opportunities for advancement that they never did. Meeks’ parents passed on to him a profound sense of social justice, commitment to community, and willingness to extend a helping hand to those in need.

Meeks earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Adelphi University and a juris doctorate from Howard University Law School, where he embraced the jurisprudence of his idol, Thurgood Marshall, and of Charles Hamilton Houston.

In the years to follow, Congressman Meeks worked as a Queens County Assistant District Attorney, a prosecutor for a special anti-narcotics taskforce, and chief administrative judge for New York State’s worker compensation system. In 1992, he was elected to the New York State Assembly, where he served until 1998, when he won a special election to represent the Fifth Congressional District of New York.

Meeks, now in his thirteenth term, has devoted his energy and skill to serving one of the most diverse constituencies in the nation. His efforts on behalf of his district, New York City and State, and the nation have earned Rep. Meeks the respect of his constituents, New Yorkers, and Democrats and Republicans alike. He is known for being an effective, principled, and common-sense leader. As a fervent supporter of the Affordable Care Act enacted under President Obama, Congressman Meeks believes that it should be enhanced. Congressman Meeks is part of the forward-thinking, pro-growth Democratic members who comprise the New Democrat Coalition (NDC), the largest ideological caucus in Congress. He co-chairs the NDCC Trade Task Force.

Meeks is Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the first black Member of Congress to serve as Chair of that committee. Meeks is a multilateralist with decades of experience in foreign policy, which aids his belief that the United States should build coalitions around our interests and work with other countries to build a stable and prosperous future.

Meeks is a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, where he served as the Chairmen of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions which oversees all financial regulators such as, FDIC, Federal Reserve and all matters pertaining to consumer credit and the stability of the banking system. Rep. Meeks previously served as a Dodd-Frank conferee. Key provisions in the Wall Street reform law – including its stress testing requirement, the creation of the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion at the financial regulatory agencies, and the requirement that U.S. public companies who use natural resources to report their due diligence in stamping out conflict minerals– were co-authored by Congressman Meeks and remain in the law today. Rep. Meeks introduced a bill that would require government contractors and public companies to submit data on the racial, ethnic, and gender composition of their corporate boards.

Meeks is focused on revitalizing the economy, creating jobs, and enhancing the resiliency of the Fifth District’s transportation, housing and environmental infrastructure, which were hit hard by Superstorm Sandy.

Throughout his tenure in Congress, Meeks has fought to make New York City accessible and full of opportunity for all New Yorkers. One result of Representative Meeks’ tireless efforts came to fruition in April of 2017, at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Crossing at Jamaica Station. The housing and retail project, which will bring approximately 4,000 construction jobs to Jamaica, includes hundreds of new affordable residential units. To make this crucial economic development possible, Congressman Meeks secured $21 million in federal tax credits.

Ever striving to improve NYC’s accessibility, Meeks strengthened the major regional transportation hub in Jamaica, Queens via the Intermodal Enhancement and Atlantic Avenue Extension—which includes parts of the LIRR and NYC subway system, Airtrain connection to JFK Airport, and a total of 31 bus lines. He secured over $6 million and $10 million through the Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway Administration respectively, to vastly improve transportation in his district, especially to and from JFK airport. Congressman Meeks also worked with Governor Cuomo to provide a significant $10 billion upgrade to JFK Airport. Ever focused on increasing diversity, Congressman Meeks advocated for Minority and Women Business Enterprises (MWBEs) in the bidding process.

Increasing diversity in all sectors of the economy is important to Meeks and in 1999 he secured $250,000 in federal funding to initiate the Science Engineering Mathematics and Aerospace Academy (SEMAA) at CUNY’s York College.

The SEMAA program continues to educate and inspire young students to this day.

Not only has Meeks worked to build up Jamaica, but he has been keen on building up Far Rockaway, too. To this end, Congressman Meeks collaborated on the monumental Roadmap for Action, introduced in 2016, which will provide $91 million for the revitalization of Downtown Far Rockaway. These funds marked the continuation of Meeks’ ongoing effort to increase affordable housing options, improve transportation infrastructure, and boost the local economy.

Additionally, in the spring of 2017, Meeks and New York City launched a new ferry service, “NYC Ferry,” in the Rockaways a month ahead of schedule. This critical project had been in the works since 2005, when Representative Meeks procured $15 million in federal funding.

For years, Meeks has introduced a bill to allow for fairness in the recoupment of disaster assistance, to help not only his district rebuild after Superstorm Sandy, but also other districts suffering from natural disasters.

Meeks is a member of the Allen AME Church in St. Albans, New York and a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. As a huge sports fan, Meeks enjoys watching the New York Knicks, the New York Giants, and the New York Mets. He is married to Simone-Marie Meeks and has three daughters – Ebony, Aja, and Nia-Aiyana.

2022 DISTINGUISHED POSTGRADUATE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS Edmund W. Gordon in the field of Education Dr. Gordon is the recipient of multiple honorary degrees. His professional experiences span decades and include minister, clinical and counseling psychologist, research scientist, author, editor and professor. His prolific scholarship is documented in his authorship of more than 200 articles and publications in scholarly journals and book chapters. Most recently, at the age 100, Dr. Gordon was named the American Education Research Association (AERA) Honorary President.

Dianne Dillion-Ridgley in the field of Servant Leadership Best known as a Human Rights activist and Environmentalist who has advised and served on more than 23 U.S. delegations at the UN and International forums spanning the tenure of three U.S. Presidents, Dianne Dillon-Ridgley has spent decades contributing her expertise, insights, and boundless energy to the Center for International Environmental Law, where she was the first woman to chair the Board of Trustees. Ms. Dillon-Ridgley has served on boards at Auburn University, University of Iowa and Green Mountain College.

Henry “Hank” James Thomas in the field of Public Service Hank Thomas is a civil rights activist and entrepreneur. He was one of the original 13 Freedom Riders who traveled on Greyhound and Trailways buses through the South in 1961 to protest racial segregation, holding demonstrations at bus stops along the way. He is one of two surviving members of the original 13 Freedom Riders. During a Freedom Ride through Alabama, his bus was set afire by a mob of 50 Klansmen and subsequently exploded. Mr. Thomas narrowly escaped and suffered severe injuries. In 1965, Hank Thomas served as a medic during the Vietnam War and was injured in battle.

Mr. Thomas was awarded the Purple Heart and was most recently honored by President Biden.

Crystal Waters in the field of Music Named as One of the Most Successful Dance Music Artists in History by Billboard Magazine, Crystal Waters has won two American Music Awards, six ASCAP Songwriters Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and four Billboard Music Awards. Over her 30-plus-year career in music, Ms. Waters has engaged fans from across the globe to engage in community advocacy for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and AIDS research.

THE ALMA MATER Reared against the eastern sky Proudly there on hilltop high, Far above the lake so blue Stands old Howard firm and true.

There she stands for truth and right, Sending forth her rays of light, Clad in robes of majesty; O Howard, we sing of thee.

Be thou still our guide and stay Leading us from day to day; Make us true and leal and strong, Ever bold to battle wrong.

When from thee we’ve gone away, May we strive for thee each day As we sail life’s rugged sea, O Howard, we’ll sing of thee.

—Words, J. H. Brooks, ‘16 —Music, F. D. Malone, ’16

THE MACE The mace is the ceremonial symbol of the University and is carried by the University Marshal. One of the earliest visual images of the mace is the front-side of the ‘Narmer Palette” of Ancient Egypt, an oval-shaped cosmetic palette inscribed with human and anthropomorphic figures. King Narmer is depicted on the palette as a mighty conqueror wielding a mace over a symbolic enemy. King Narmer, also known as King Menes or King Midas to the ancient Greeks, unified Upper and Lower Egypt circa 3100 B.C., ushering in the great pyramid building of the old kingdom dynasties (c. 3000-2150 B.C.) of Imperial Egypt. At today’s Convocation, the entry of the mace heralds the arrival of the academic procession.

THE PRESIDENTIAL CHAIN OF OFFICE (The Medallion) The Presidential Chain of Office, worn by President Wayne A. I. Frederick, was presented to the University on the occasion of the Centennial Celebration in 1967 by Trustee Emeritus Herman B. Wells and his mother, Mrs. Granville Wells. It is a visible symbol of the Office of the President and has been worn by all presidents of Howard University since 1967. The basic material of the chain is sterling silver, plated with hard gold. Both the University Seal and the Centennial Seal are appended to the chain.

“Lift Every Voice and Sing” Lift every voice and sing, Till earth and heaven ring, Ring with the harmonies of liberty; Let our rejoicing rise, High as the listening skies.

Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.

Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us; Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, Let us march on till victory is won.

Stony the road we trod, bitter the chastening rod, Felt in the days when hope unborn had died; Yet with a steady beat, have not our weary feet, Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?

We have come over a way that with tears has been watered, We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered; Out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, Thou Who has brought us thus far on the way; Thou Who has by Thy might, led us into the light, Keep us forever in the path, we pray.

Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee, Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee, Shadowed beneath Thy hand, may we forever stand, True to our God, true to our native land.

— James Weldon Johnson (1900)

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