Saturday, March 7, 2026
CHARTER DAY 2026 CELEBRATION
commemorating the one hundred fifty-ninth anniversary of the founding of howard university
saturday evening, the seventh day of march two thousand twenty-six marriott marquis
washington, district of columbia
CHARTER DAY
Charter Day is a time for celebration. We celebrate because we are grateful for the March 2, 1867, approval of the University Charter by President Andrew Johnson for an institution dedicated to the betterment of humanity. We are grateful for Howardites — collectively and individually — who, through example and support of their alma mater, exhibit the very spirit that has marked Howard as one of the great romances of American education.
In 1943, the first Alumni Achievement Awards were presented to three alumni. Since then, including this year’s recipients, the University has honored 359 alumni in a variety of fields for their distinguished postgraduate achievements and exceptional contributions to society. The Capstone Distinguished Service Award was established in 2014 to recognize the exemplary service of a Howard University faculty or staff member. A University Committee that includes alumni representatives nominates candidates for both awards. The Board of Trustees approves final selections.
The 2026 Charter Day Celebration continues a morethan century-long tradition of commemorating the founding of Howard. This year we are celebrating Howard University’s 159th anniversary, recognizing the historic legacy, monumental achievements and positive impact the University has made since its founding in 1867.
MENU
FIRST COURSE
Pickled Green Tomato and Burrata Cheese with Balsamic Charred Onion, Petite Greens, Corn Shoots, Olive Oil, and Aged Vinegar
SECOND COURSE
Classic Manhattan Steak and Jumbo Atlantic Shrimp served with Bacon Onion Jam, Stewed Chickpeas and Tomato, and Charred Asparagus
Gluten Free and Vegan Choice
Cauliflower Steak
served with Sautéed Quinoa, Spinach, Wild Mushrooms, Capers, Golden Raisins, and Pine Nut Relish
THIRD COURSE
A Dessert Trilogy
Ruby Torch Cake
Vegan Panna Cotta with Berries
Vanilla Cheesecake with Apple Butter and Gingerbread
Assorted Breads
Wine, Coffee and Tea service
PROGRAM
Ms. Leslie D. Hale Chair, Howard University Board of Trustees
Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA
Interim President, President Emeritus and Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery Howard University
MASTER OF CEREMONIES
ENTERTAINMENT SELECTION
GREETINGS
INVOCATION
DINNER
ENTERTAINMENT SELECTION
IN MEMORIAM
A special tribute by the Howard Gospel Choir Alumni
PRESENTATION OF ALUMNI AWARDS FOR DISTINGUISHED POSTGRADUATE ACHIEVEMENT
Ms. Phylicia Rashad
Jelani Cobb, Ph.D.
Mr. Herbert B. Dixon, Jr.
Ms. Kamilah Forbes
James K. Fortson, M.D.
Ms. Regina Drake
CLOSING REMARKS
ALMA MATER
Ms. Phylicia Rashad Howard University Alumna Award-winning actor and stage director Dean Emerita, Howard University Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts
Ms. Chanté Moore
Chair Hale
Reverend Bernard L. Richardson, Ph.D. Dean, Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel
Ms. Moore
Ms. Phylicia Rashad
President Frederick and Chair Hale
President’s Medal of Achievement Journalism Law
Fine Arts Medicine
The LaRue V. Barkwell Capstone Distinguished Service Award
President Frederick
MS. LESLIE D. HALE
Chair, Howard University Board of Trustees
Leslie D. Hale (BBA ’94, summa cum laude), a Board of Trustees member since 2013, has served as a vice chair of the Board since 2021, and assumed the chairmanship on June 6, 2025, during the June board meeting.
Ms. Hale is the president and chief executive officer at RLJ Lodging Trust (NYSE: RLJ), a leading hotel real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns 96 hotels with approximately 21,200 rooms across the United States. Since joining in 2005, Ms. Hale has played a pivotal role in setting and executing the strategic vision at RLJ and has held progressively senior roles — she was appointed chief financial officer in 2007, chief operating officer in 2016, and chief executive officer in 2018. In addition, Ms. Hale successfully helped lead the execution of RLJ’s initial public offering (IPO) in 2011, oversaw the first merger of two hospitality REITs in 2017, and is on RLJ’s board of directors.
In addition to her work at RLJ, Ms. Hale currently serves on the board of directors of Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE: DAL). She is a Howard University trustee and a board member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond’s Baltimore branch. She is also a member of the MINA Advisory Board, NAREIT Advisory Board of Governors, AHLA Executive Board, IREFAC and the Real Estate Roundtable.
Before joining RLJ, Ms. Hale held senior positions at GE, working in GE’s Commercial Finance Mergers & Acquisitions Group and GE’s Real Estate Strategic Capital Group. Ms. Hale was also an investment banker with Goldman Sachs, advising on mergers, acquisitions and corporate finance. Ms. Hale received her BBA summa cum laude from Howard University, and her MBA from Harvard Business School, where she was a Goldman Sachs and Toigo Fellow.
WAYNE A. I. FREDERICK, M.D., MBA
Interim President, President Emeritus and Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery Howard University
Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA, FACS (B.S. ’92, M.D. ’94, MBA ’11) was appointed interim president of Howard University in September 2025. A proud alumnus and distinguished surgeon, scholar, and leader, he also holds the titles of president emeritus as the University’s 17th president, and Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery at the Howard University College of Medicine where he continues to teach the next generation of physicians. Dr. Frederick also continues to serve patients as a practicing cancer surgeon at Howard University Hospital.
Previously, Dr. Frederick served as interim CEO of the American Cancer Society and its Cancer Action Network, leading more than 3,000 staff and 1.3 million volunteers. His first tenure as Howard’s interim president (2013) and as the 17th president (2014–2023) was marked by significant transformation: strengthening student success, increasing enrollment and financial aid, improving retention and graduation rates, expanding research capacity, and growing the University’s endowment to nearly $1 billion. Under his vision, Howard achieved Research One classification in February 2025 and advanced major real estate projects that created affordable housing and jobs in Washington, D.C. In recognition of his impact, the University named the Wayne A. I. Frederick Undergraduate Library in his honor.
A proud Howard alumnus who entered at age 16, Dr. Frederick earned a B.S./M.D. dual degree and later an MBA from Howard before completing postdoctoral research and surgical oncology fellowships at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He has held leadership roles across Howard, including provost, chief academic officer, and director of the Cancer Center.
Internationally recognized for his work to address disparities in health care and medical education, Dr. Frederick has published widely and serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards, including Mutual of America, Humana, Tempus AI Inc., Insulet Corporation, Save the Children, and as a senior advisor to Blackstone Inc. and Boston Consulting Group. He is a National Academy of Medicine member and has earned numerous honors, including the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Washingtonian of the Year, Carnegie Corporation’s “Great Immigrants, Great Americans” award, and the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.’s 2025 Chairman’s Award. In November 2025, Junior Achievement of Greater Washington inducted him into the Washington Business Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Laureates.
MS. PHYLICIA RASHAD
MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Howard University Alumna Award-winning actor and stage director Dean Emerita, Howard University Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts
An accomplished actor and stage director, Phylicia Rashad (BFA ’70, magna cum laude) became a household name when she portrayed Clair Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” a character whose enduring appeal has earned her numerous honors and awards. She has appeared in NBC’s “This Is Us,” in the popular Fox TV series “Empire,” and in Tarrell Alvin McCraney’s Peabody Award-winning series “David Makes Man” on the OWN Network.
While television was a catalyst in the rise of Ms. Rashad’s career, she has also been a force on the stage, appearing both on and OffBroadway, often in projects that showcase her musical talent such as “Jelly’s Last Jam,” “Into the Woods,” “Dreamgirls” and “The Wiz.”
In 2016, Ms. Rashad was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame and received the 2016 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play for her performance as Shelah in Tarell Alvin McCraney’s “Head of Passes” at the Public Theater. Ms. Rashad performed the role of the Duchess of Gloucester in “Richard II,” the 2020 Shakespeare on the Radio collaboration between The Public Theater and New York public radio station WNYC.
On Broadway, Ms. Rashad has performed in Dominique Morriseau’s “Skeleton Crew” (Tony and Drama Desk Awards), “August Osage County,” Tennessee Williams’ “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” (a role that she reprised on the London stage), August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean” (Tony Award nomination) and in Shakespeare’s “Cymbeline” at Lincoln Center.
Ms. Rashad received both the Drama Desk and the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her riveting performance as Lena Younger in the 2004 Broadway revival of Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun.” Her Tony Award was the first for an African-American in the category.
Among Ms. Rashad’s film credits are “Creed” and “Creed II,” “Just Wright,” Tyler Perry’s “Good Deeds,” “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf” and the 2020 release “A Fall from Grace.” Recent film projects include “Black Box,” “Soul” and the Netflix holiday musical “Jingle Jangle.”
Ms. Rashad made her critically acclaimed directorial debut at the Seattle Repertory Theater with August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean.” She has also directed Stephen Adly Guirgis’ “Our Lady of 121st Street,” “The Roommate,” “Blues for an Alabama Sky,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” (2014 NAACP Theatre Award for Best Director), “Immediate Family,” “Fences,” “A Raisin in the Sun” and “Four Little Girls.” Most recently, she directed “Purpose,” the 2025 Tony Award winner for Outstanding Broadway Play, and previously directed “Dangerous Acts: Howard University,” which earned two New York Emmy Awards.
Respected in the academic world as well, Ms. Rashad was appointed dean of the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts at Howard University in May 2021. She has conducted master classes at many colleges, universities and arts organizations including Howard University, New York University, Carnegie Mellon University, The Black Arts Institute of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, and the prestigious Ten Chimneys Foundation. Ms. Rashad also holds the distinction of being the first recipient of the Denzel Washington Chair in Theatre at Fordham University.
Ms. Rashad’s commitment to excellence in the performing arts has been recognized by the numerous colleges and universities that have presented her with honorary doctorates.
Ms. Rashad has also received countless esteemed awards including the BET Honors Theatrical Arts Award, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre’s Spirit of Shakespeare Award, and the Inaugural Legacy Award of the Ruben Santiago-Hudson Fine Arts Learning Center.
She also serves on several important boards including Brainerd Institute Heritage (which is steering the restoration of Kumler Hall at the historic site of Brainerd Institute in Chester, South Carolina) and DADA, the Debbie Allen Dance Academy.
Since 2017, Ms. Rashad has been the brand ambassador of the National Trust for Historic Preservation African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund.
Phylicia Rashad graduated magna cum laude from Howard University and is the mother of two adult children.
MS. CHANTÉ MOORE
MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT
Award-winning R&B artist, songwriter and producer
With her crystal clear five-octave range, her smooth, rich tone and her ability to convey a wide swath of emotions with remarkable phrasing, Chanté Moore is likely a favorite singer of your favorite singer.
The daughter of a minister, Ms. Moore grew up on gospel music and albums by George Duke and Lee Ritenour and began her songwriting journey by writing lyrics to their music. In the middle of her teenage years, Ms. Moore decided that she was going to concentrate her efforts on becoming a professional singer after she gave an inspired performance in a high-school rendition of “The Wiz” … and after she experienced her first standing ovation when she sang “Home.”
In the ensuing years, she sang with bands at cocktail bars and, at the age of 22, was discovered by legendary producer and executive Louil Silas who signed her to Silas Records, a subsidiary of MCA Records. Her first appearance on the Billboard Chart was in advance of her own project when she was featured on El DeBarge’s top 15 single “You Know What I Like.”
In 1992, Ms. Moore released her classic debut album, “Precious,” produced in part by George Duke. Propelled by the singles “Love’s Taken Over” and “It’s Alright” in addition to album cuts and fan favorites like “As If We Never Met,” the album was RIAAcertified Gold. About “Precious,” Rolling Stone magazine wrote, “Moore explores the sweet entanglements of contemporary love with a supple soprano that floats over and into songs. Moore’s superb singing and writing will unquestionably win her a satisfied audience.”
In 1999, Ms. Moore released her highest-ranking Billboardcharting album, “This Moment Is Mine,” which features her
signature song “Chanté’s Got a Man,” which became a Billboard Top Ten Pop hit. After her final Silas/MCA album “Exposed” the following year, Ms. Moore took a break from releasing solo albums and continued to have success with collaborative work. She’s featured on the Isley Brothers’ 2001 single “Contagious,” a Top 20 pop hit nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
Ms. Moore also recorded a pair of duet albums; 2003’s “Things That Lovers Do” and 2006’s “Uncovered/Covered.” She was a key cast member in the hit TV One show “R&B Divas LA.”
Since 2008, Ms. Moore has recorded and released four highly regarded albums including 2017’s festive holiday album “Christmas Back to You.” In 2024, Ms. Moore was selected to be the first American ever to participate in one of China’s most popular TV singing competition shows, “Singer 2024.” Competing with China’s most accomplished and beloved singers, Ms. Moore tied for having the most first-place finishes over the show’s 13-week stretch and in doing so, endeared herself and her talents to the 220 million viewers that the show reached weekly.
In 2025, Ms. Moore will release her latest project “EVOLve” featuring production by Laney Stewart, Tricky Stewart, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (the team that produced “Chanté’s Got a Man” with Ms. Moore).
Of course, throughout her career, Chanté Moore has been on stage dazzling audiences with her unique combination of humor, testimony … and pristine singing. She will continue to share her unique voice with the world.
DR. JELANI COBB
HONOREE IN THE FIELD OF JOURNALISM
Jelani Cobb, Ph.D. (B.A. ’94) joined the Columbia Journalism School faculty in 2016 and became dean in 2022. He has been a staff writer at The New Yorker magazine since 2015. He received a Peabody Award for his 2020 PBS Frontline film “Whose Vote Counts?” and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Commentary in 2018. He has also been a political analyst for MS NOW since 2019.
He is the author of “The Substance of Hope: Barack Obama and the Paradox of Progress” and “To the Break of Dawn: A Freestyle on the Hip Hop Aesthetic.” He is the editor or co-editor of several volumes including “The Matter of Black Lives,” a collection of The New Yorker’s writings on race and “The Essential Kerner Commission Report.” He is producer or co-producer on a number of documentaries including “Lincoln’s Dilemma,” “Obama: A More Perfect Union,” “Policing the Police” and “THE RIOT REPORT.”
Dr. Cobb was educated at Jamaica High School in Queens, New York; Howard University, where he earned a B.A. in English; and Rutgers University, where he completed his M.A. and doctorate in American history in 2003. He is also a recipient of fellowships from the Ford Foundation, the Fulbright Foundation and the Shorenstein Center at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
He currently serves on the board of directors of the American Journalism Project and the board of trustees of the New York Public Library. He received an honorary doctorate for the Advancement of Science and Art from Cooper Union in 2022 and an honorary doctorate of letters from Rutgers University in 2024. York College-CUNY and Teachers College have honored Dr. Cobb with medals.
Dr. Cobb was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2023.
JUDGE HERBERT B. DIXON, JR.
HONOREE IN THE FIELD OF LAW
Herbert B. Dixon, Jr. (BSEE ’70) is a senior judge on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was appointed to successive 15-year terms on the court — first by President Ronald Reagan and subsequently by President William Clinton. Upon the announcement of Judge Dixon’s retirement and assumption of senior judge status, the Legal Times/National Law Journal referred to him as the “Technology Judge.”
Judge Dixon is a member of the Council on Criminal Justice’s National Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, charged with developing evidence-based standards for AI in the criminal justice system. He serves on the Advisory Council of the ABA Task Force on Law and Artificial Intelligence and is a contributing author to the ABA’s 2024 book publication, “Artificial Intelligence: Legal Issues, Policy, and Practical Strategies.” Judge Dixon co-authored “Navigating AI in the Judiciary: New Guidelines for Judges and Their Chambers,” a publication offering practical, ethical guidance on the responsible use of artificial intelligence in judicial chambers. He is a former member of the American Bar Association (ABA) Board of Governors, the ABA House of Delegates, and the ABA TechShow Planning Board.
He is a former chair of both the National Conference of State Trial Judges and the ABA Standing Committee on the American Judicial System. Judge Dixon is the immediate past chair of both the ABA Journal Board of Editors and the ABA Judicial Division’s Book Editorial Board. He serves on The Judges’ Journal Editorial Board and is the technology columnist for the magazine. He is the senior legal adviser to the Center for Legal and Court Technology (formerly the Courtroom 21 Project), an initiative of the MarshallWythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary and the National Center for State Courts.
While in active service with the Superior Court, Judge Dixon served as presiding judge of both the Civil Division and the MultiDoor Dispute Resolution Division and as co-chair of the Strategic Planning Leadership Council for the D.C. Courts, the entity charged with writing the strategic plan for the District of Columbia Courts and evaluating progress in achieving the goals and objectives of the plan. In addition, he served as chair of the Superior Court’s Electronic Filing Pilot Project, which received national recognition for its success, and oversaw implementation of the Superior Court’s technology-enhanced courtroom project.
Judge Dixon has received numerous awards, including the ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) Pursuit of Justice Award for lawyers and judges who have shown outstanding merit and who excel in providing access to justice for all and the William R. McMahon Award by the National Conference of Specialized Court Judges, for leadership in the field of technology in the courts. He is an inductee into the Washington Bar Association’s Hall of Fame, and received the Judicial Honoree of the Year award from the Bar Association of the District of Columbia.
Judge Dixon is an elder with Northeastern Presbyterian Church. He received his bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Howard University and a juris doctor degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. He is married to Howard University alumna sweetheart, Phoebe Boykins Dixon. They have two adult children, both of whom are Ph.D. engineers.
MS. KAMILAH FORBES
HONOREE IN THE FIELD OF FINE ARTS
Kamilah Forbes (BFA ’98) is an innovative visionary shaping and imagining the future of arts, entertainment and culture as an executive, producer and director. Currently serving as the executive producer for the historic cultural landmark Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, Ms. Forbes has built a legacy of creating transformative work that defines her as a trailblazer in the industry and field. The Apollo is a civic thought leader and a convener for public discourse and expression for Harlem and the nation. Over the past decade at The Apollo, she has reimagined the space as an arts center through innovative programming and vision. Her artistic leadership and stewardship have spearheaded the vision for this evolution that has answered the call and need for audiences and artists alike.
With reverence and regard for the history of The Apollo, Ms. Forbes leads teams in new works programming, education, community engagement and more as they welcome the latest productions, concerts and performances into their three performance spaces. It is her ingenuity and cultural astuteness that has also produced a profitable boom in the economic growth at the institution through one-of-a-kind partnerships, producing and investments. As the popularity of The Apollo’s programming has grown under Ms. Forbes’ leadership, she has been a trusted staple for artists, audiences and institutions invested in the next level of art and entertainment. From producing and directing the sold-out, critically acclaimed world premiere and touring theatrical adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ New York Times best-selling novel “Between the World and Me,” to unparalleled Spring Gala concerts, to receiving the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ highest artistic accolade, the Kennedy Center Honor, Ms. Forbes is a maverick making culture and art irresistible and necessary for many.
The Apollo will expand its reach with the upcoming Culture Forward program that ensures access to its Victoria Theater for artists, collectives, independent producers and small nonprofit cultural organizations. Ms. Forbes is not just maintaining a legacy; she’s actively forging a new one, driven by a clear vision for creating Black cultural affirming spaces and curating what she powerfully terms the “canon of tomorrow.” Her approach is characterized by an unwavering curiosity for the new and inspiring, coupled with a deep-seated desire to strengthen artists’ connections.
A Chicago native with Jamaican roots, Ms. Forbes has a vast array of experiences in the arts and entertainment sector. In addition to her leadership with institutions, she is also an award-winning director and producer. Ms. Forbes has served as director on various television projects, including Emmy Award-winning programs “The Wiz Live” and “The 1619 Project,” as well as “Russell Simmons presents Def Poetry” on HBO, which won an NAACP Image Award and a Peabody Award. A necessary ingenious voice in television and film, Ms. Forbes is the co-owner of production entity Maceolyn along with Ta-Nehisi Coates and Kenyatta Matthews. Together, the team is currently developing scripted and unscripted series for Amazon and FX. Through their first-look deal with HBO, they are also developing such projects as “The Water Dancer,” MGM Studios (upcoming, in development) and “Witness,” HBO (2026), on the latter of which they are executive producers. Ms. Forbes’ unparalleled talent in these diverse endeavors has been celebrated as her ability to “cast a vivid and evocative spell on both the national and international stage.”
A go-to and trusted collaborator of some of the most prominent voices in entertainment and art, Ms. Forbes’ imprint in theater is also indelible. From directing “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark,” written by Lynn Nottage, to “Blood Quilt,” written by Katori Hall, to “Sunset Baby” and “Detroit 67,” both written by Dominique Morrisseau, Ms. Forbes has made a place for herself in theater as an innovative and adept director. This is to be said equally for her work alongside Kenny Leon on several of his Broadway hit productions including “Holler If Ya Hear Me,” “A Raisin in the Sun” (2014 Broadway revival), “The Mountaintop” (Broadway) and “Stick Fly” (Broadway). Ms. Forbes gave audiences the ride of their lives with her direction of the hit Soul Train musical “The Hippest Trip” produced by Questlove and choreographed by Tony Award winner Camille A. Brown, which is scheduled to make its Broadway debut. In addition to that production, also set to reach Broadway stages, are the “Basquiat Musical” (book by Marcus Gardley, music by John Legend) and “The Pursuit of Happyness” (book by Marcus Gardley, music by Joriah Kwamé and Siedah Garrett).
Ms. Forbes’ expansive influence extends to monumental projects. As the curator-in-residence at the Kennedy Center, she developed such works as the 40th-anniversary celebration of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” featuring John Legend, and the symphonic collaboration for Nas’ “Illmatic” 20-year anniversary with the National Symphony Orchestra. On screen, her pioneering spirit is evident in her production roles for the Peabody Award-winning “Def Poetry” on HBO, “Brave New Voices,” and PBS’ “The Women’s
List.” In addition to Emmy, NAACP Image and Peabody Awards, Forbes has received numerous accolades for her work in the arts. These include a Tony Award, a Josephine Abady Award, a DC Commission Distinguished Artist Award, and the Mayor’s Arts Award for Emerging Theatre Artist, and nominations for the AUDELCO Award and, many times over, the Helen Hayes Award. As her impact in the world of theater grew, her talent became undeniable.
Ms. Forbes often credits her alma mater, Howard University, as the fertile ground on which she began to foster her love for theater-making and artistic leadership skills. It was here at Howard University that she began to set the trajectory for her longstanding collaborations and career in theater and film. In the earliest stages of her career, Ms. Forbes concretized her place in the history of what would become a new fresh genre of theater. She worked closely with friend and collaborator Chadwick A. Boseman to pen “A Rhyme Deferred,” a play that bent the norms, pushed aesthetics and kept audiences begging for more. The play would go on to carve the path for the new genre: “Hip-Hop Theater.”
Soon Ms. Forbes’ work was propelled into the creation of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival, which she meticulously cultivated for more than 16 years. Under her vision and guidance, the Hip-Hop Theater Festival grew tremendously from a fledgling project into a groundbreaking nonprofit organization, Hi-ARTS, with a truly national scope leading the charge in hip-hop culture and art. Many new and well-known artistic forces have had their work leveraged under Forbes’s artistic direction, including Obie Awardwinner Will Power, Tony Award-winner Sarah Jones, Rennie Harris, Nilaja Sun, Marc Bamuthi Joseph and Indio Melendez, to name a few. Ms. Forbes currently sits on the board of directors for Hi-ARTS, supporting them as they move into their 25th year of operation and producing. Ms. Forbes has secured a reputation as a groundbreaking creative leader, and her extraordinary contributions have cemented her status as a luminary in the arts.
Ms. Forbes’ pioneering work transcends disciplines. Her trailblazing career is unequivocally defined by a remarkable collection of accolades that underscore her status as a pioneering visionary and servant leader. Recognized for her transformative leadership, Forbes was honored with the 2020 Zelda Fichandler Award from the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation, and the 2019 NBTF Larry Leon Hamlin Producer Award. Her influence extends beyond the stage, with her nomination by President Joe Biden to the National Council of the Arts (confirmed in February 2022) and her service on the Yale Schwarzman Center Advisory Board, reflecting her profound and enduring contributions to the cultural landscape. Additionally, her career as an accomplished force in theater gained her the prestigious honor of serving on the Tony Awards Nominating Committee from 2019–2025, and formerly on the Kennedy Center Artist Advisory Board. While balancing her executive leadership at The Apollo, and her artistic developments on stage and screen, Ms. Forbes is also currently the professor of The Art of Producing Theater at
Princeton University. This course explores models of producing and collaboration in the professional theater. She also currently serves on the Board of Visitors for Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts and on the CUNY Film Advisory Board.
Ms. Forbes consistently shapes the cultural landscape with her dynamic vision. She is widely recognized for her unwavering commitment to developing groundbreaking creative works by, for and about the hip-hop generation. A Gracie Award recipient in 2021, and a winner of the Pollstar Impact 50 in 2020, Ms. Forbes is also one of the awardees of the Politics NY 2025 Power Players in Arts and Culture. Ms. Forbes’ career reflects an unwavering commitment to forward-moving creative works, deep investments in innovative artistic works, and the preservation of cultural legacies and institutions.
JAMES K. FORTSON, M.D.
HONOREE IN THE FIELD OF MEDICINE
James K. Fortson, M.D. (B.S. ’72) is board certified in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery and served as chief executive officer of ENT Associates of South Atlanta for more than 20 years, providing care to patients throughout the Atlanta area. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Otolaryngology, a fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, member of the American Triological Society, and fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is also a certified physician executive.
Dr. Fortson’s work on head and neck manifestations of child maltreatment is highly regarded and has been recognized by respected bodies in both clinical practice and academia. He has held numerous leadership roles, including president of the ENT Section of the National Medical Association and president of the Pacific Coast Oto-Ophthalmological Society (PCOOS). His professional affiliations include the Caribbean Association of Otolaryngology and the Pan American Congress of Otolaryngology, and he has been a longtime panelist at the International Robotic Surgery Symposium Society in Seoul, Korea. Dr. Fortson served for 15 years as a professor in the department of surgery at Morehouse School of Medicine. After leaving Morehouse, he continued to mentor and teach countless medical students and residents pursuing careers in medicine.
Dr. Fortson earned his bachelor of science degree from Howard University in Washington in 1972 and attended medical school at the State University of New York at Buffalo. His specialty training in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery was completed through the prestigious combined Boston University and Tufts University program affiliated with Harvard University Medical Center in Boston. He also holds a master’s in public health and master’s in business administration from the University of South Florida.
Dr. Fortson has dedicated significant time to humanitarian medical service in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as part of Physicians for Humanity. Over the course of a decade, he performed life-saving procedures — including cancer resections and complex reconstructive surgeries — personally operating on hundreds of patients and providing care to several hundred more. His work has helped establish him as a respected authority in otolaryngology throughout the Caribbean. In his retirement, Dr. Fortson continues to provide care to patients in Castries, St. Lucia, to help address critical gaps in specialty care on the island.
Dr. Fortson is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and a lifetime member of both the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States and the Reserve Officer Association. He has participated extensively in scholarship and research, authoring and publishing books, papers and abstracts in the field of otolaryngology. He continues to remain active in research and professional presentations.
A proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Alpha Chapter, 1970), Dr. Fortson remains actively involved in community service initiatives with the Men of Omega in Atlanta. He is the proud father of two daughters, Jobina and Jori, both graduates from Howard University. He resides in the Atlanta area, with his wife, Deborah.
REGINA DRAKE
HONOREE FOR THE LARUE V. BARKWELL CAPSTONE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Regina Drake has been an indispensable part of the Howard workforce for 35 years, facilitating critical communications which enable effective faculty and staff coordination, student development, operational excellence, and effective governance.
For the past five years, Ms. Drake has served as content manager for the Office of the Provost’s website and provided editorial support for colleagues in the Office of the Provost. She is also the staff liaison for the Howard University Board of Trustees Academic Excellence Committee, where she prepares and formulates documents for committee consideration. Just as important, she has a wealth of institutional knowledge and is known for being able to find an answer to United States or Howard history when few others can.
Ms. Drake was raised in Tougaloo, Miss., where she attended Catholic schools. The academic environment in her hometown encouraged Ms. Drake and her classmates to pursue goals representing their highest potential and develop their talents through extracurricular activities, including science fairs, team sports, choir, and band. After graduating high school, she enrolled at Tougaloo College.
“Tougaloo provided a wonderful supply of cultural and social experiences for me and my neighbors,” Ms. Drake said, “including unfettered access to the library that offered a world of information about the world outside of Mississippi. The librarians were my mother’s best friends.”
Ms. Drake earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Tougaloo College and went on to work for advocacy organizations, including the family life unit of the Milwaukee Urban League and the National Association of Counties, where she developed
publications supporting initiatives in mental health, criminal justice, and employment. Ms. Drake also studied at Smith College, focusing on American studies and African history, and later earned a Master of Arts degree in media studies from The New School.
Ms. Drake is a proud mother and grandmother. Her children Abiola Adams (BFA ’03), Adekoye Adams (BFA ’94), and Akinwale Adams (MBA ’09) are Howard alumni.
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Hayat Brown
Jackson Lewis
JP Morgan
McCormick
Mercer Microsoft
Pepsi
TAG-B Parking
TikTok
Trusted Advisory Group Valley Bank
*as of March 5, 2026
ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
1943 – 2025
1943
Orville L. Ballard, MED ’23
Campbell C. Johnson, LA ’20, LW ’22
Zora Neale Hurston, LA ’24
1944
Lillian Evanti, CM ’17
W. Lincoln Hawkins, GS ’34
Thurgood Marshall, LW ’33, HON ’54
1945
Charles W. Anderson, LW ’30
Eva B. Dykes, AS ’14
E. Franklin Frazier, AS ’16
1946
Roscoe C. Brown, ON ’06
Helen A. Whiting, TC ’05
David A. Williston, N ’95
1947
George E. C. Hayes, LW ’18
Dwight O. W. Holmes, PR ’96, C ’01, HON ’14, ’38
Z. Alexander Looby, A ’19, LA ’22
1948
Edward A. Balloch, MED ’79, HON ’25
George M. Lightfoot, PR ’87
William Stuart Nelson, LA ’20, HON ’36
1949
Vivian J. Cook, TC ’12
Martin D. Jenkins, LA ’25
Leigh Whipper, C ’96
1950
W. Roderick Brown, MED ’23
Oliver W. Hill, LA ’31, LW ’33
Jesse H. Mitchell, LW ’10
1951
F.D. Bluford, TC ’09
Leonard H.B. Foote, LA ’22, MED ’25
Spottswood Robinson III, LW ’39
1952
Clarence Holmes, AS ’18, ON ’20
Thomas W. Turner, PR ’97, C ’01, AS ’05
1953
Lewis K. Downing, SAS ’21
Edgar A. Love, AS ’13, TH ’16
Lawrence Winters, MU ’41
1954
Edwin B. Henderson, EDC ’30
Julius A. Thomas, Jr., AS ’18, HON ’69
Alexander P. Tureaud, LW ’25
1955
Russell W. Brown, LA ’26
James A. Cobb, LW ’99, LW ’00, TC ’02
John D. Williams, MED ’14
1956
Llewelyn J. Scott, LA ’23
Augustus C. Terrence, LA ’24, MED ’28
Frederick D. Wilkinson, LW ’24
1957
Kenneth B. Clark, LA ’35, GS ’36
Mamie Phipps Clark, LA ’38, GS ’39
Eugene H. Dibble, Jr., MED ’19
Clayborne J. George, A ’11, TC ’15, LW ’17
1958
Ruth S. Norman, AS ’19
Scovel Richardson, LW ’37
Julian Waldo Ross, MED ’11
1959
Herman E. Moore, Jr., AS ’14, LW ’17
William H. Sinkler, MED ’32
Ruth B. Spencer, LA ’36, GS ’37
1960
James G. Banks, LA ’45
Vel R. Phillips, LA ’46
Adolphus Walton, DN ’18
1961
Anna Bartsch-Dunne, MED ’02
Ulysses L. Houston, PR ’99
Inabel B. Lindsay, EDS ’20
1962
John B. Duncan, LA ’34
Thomas B.D. Dyett, A ’14, AS ’18, LW ’20
H. Claude Hudson, DN ’13
William G. Tollen, SW ’49
Stephen J. Wright, GS ’39
1963
Edward W. Brnoke, LA ’41, HON ’67
Lena F. Edwards, LA ’21, MED ’24
L. Deckle McLean, DN ’28
Philip J. Valentine, EA ’42
Walter E. Washington, LA ’38, LW ’48
1964
Roy A. Anduze, MED ’39
Errold D. Collymore, A ’18, DN ’23
James Farmer, Jr., RL ’41
Lillian Burwell Lewis, LA ’25
Flaxie M. Pinkett, LA ’36
1965
Ossie Davis, HON ’73
Leroy F. Florant, EA ’43
Edward P. Hurt, LA ’20
Raoul M. Perez, LA ’32, GD ’33
Lanneau L. White, RL ’36
1966
Kenneth W. Clement, MED ’45
William K. Dupree, MU ’51
Patricia Roberts Harris, LA ’45
Samuel Z. Westerfield, Jr., LA ’39
Frederick D. Wilkinson, Jr., LA ’42
1967
William B. Bryant, LA ’32, LW ’36
Calvin H. Conliffe, EA ’51
Patricia Shaw Iverson, LA ’47
1968
William K. Collins, LA ’35, DN ’39
Aileen C. Hernandez, LA ’47
Clilan B. Powell, MED ’20
Leroy R. Weekes, LA ’35, MED ’39
1969
Horace R. Holmes, LA ’49, SW ’51
Kelly Miller Smith, RL ’46
Bennetta B. Washington, GS ’39
Harris L. Wofford, Jr., LW ’54
Andrew J. Young, LA ’51
1970
Clarence Evans Hubah, LA ’47, MED ’51
Pauli Murray, LW ’44
William P. Robinson, Sr., LA ’32, GS ’35
Mabel Keaton Staupers, FH ’17
Philip Watson, C&F ’23
1971
Hugh C. Banks, LA ’50, GS ’52
Frankie M. Freeman, LW ’47
Robert S. Jason, MED ’28
B. Doyle Mitchell, LA ’33
George W. Reed, Jr., LA ’42, GS ’44
1972
Carroll B. Harvey, EA ’60
Richard F. Jones, AS ’19, MED ’22
James A. Washington, Jr., LA ’36, LW ’39
1973
Julian R. Dugas, LW ’49
Dorothy W. Harris, LA ’35, GS ’37
William J. Moore, N ’92
Emanuel L. Odeku, LA ’50, MED ’54
1974
Juliann S. Bluitt, LA ’58, DN ’62
Dorothy B. Porter, LA ’28
Mitchell W. Spellman, MED ’44
Abraham S. Venable, LA ’51, GS ’53
1975
Frederic E. Davison, LA ’38, GS ’40
James H.M. Henderson, LA ’39
John H. Powell, Jr., LA ’53
Alma W. Thomas, SAS ’24
1976
James T. Chambers, LA ’23
James P. Comer, MED ’60
Benjamin L. Hunton, LA ’40, GS ’42
Roxie R. Kravitz, LA ’52
G. Frederick Stanton, LA ’35, GS ’42
1977
W. Henry Greene, LA ’20, MED ’24
Joseph W. Hatchett, LW ’59
Elizabeth C. Mora, FA ’37
Edward O. Sanu, LA ’53
1978
Marion C. Bascom, RL ’66
Carlron B. Goodlett, LA ’35
Lois M.J. Pierre-Noel, FA ’45
Vincent E. Reed, GS ’65
1979
John W. Blassingame, MA ’61
Christopher F. Edley, BA ’49
Toni Morrison, BA ’53
1980
Lydia E. Ashburne, MED ’12
Robert L. Carter, LW ’40
Charles E. Cobb, RL ’44
John E. Codwell, Sr., LA ’27
William D. McKissack, EA ’51
1981
Aris T. Allen, MED ’44
David C. Driskell, BA ’55
Isaac T. Gillam IV, BA ’53
Julia C. Mack, LW ’SI
J. Clay Smith, Jr., LW ’67
1982
Arnett A. Anderson, ON ’62
L. Julian Haywood, MED ’52
Gabrielle Kirk McDonald, LW ’66 Frank Savage, LA ’62
1983
Debbie Allen, FA ’71
James E. Bowman, Jr., LA ’43, MED ’46
Gloria Twine Chisum, LA ’51, GS ’53
Robert E.L. Perkins, DN ’48
Theodora Fonteneau Rutherford, LA ’23
Wayman F. Smith III, LW ’65
1984
Roland W. Burris, LW ’63
Roy L. Schneider, LA ’61, MED ’65
Carmen E. Turner, LA ’68
Harold Wheeler, FA ’64
1985
Houston A. Baker, Jr. LA ’65
Randolph W. Bromery, LA ’56
Charles F. Johnson, LA ’62
Frank P. Lloyd, MED ’46
Esther Garland Pollard, LA ’43, SW ’45, MSW ’49
L. Douglas Wilder, LW ’59
1986
Leslie L. Alexander, MED ’52
Joseph L. Henry, DN ’46
Dennis F. Hightower, LA ’62
Floretta Dukes McKenzie, GS ’57
Phylicia Ayers-Allen Rashad, FA ’70
H. Patrick Swygert, LA ’65, LW ’68
1987
Faye B. Bryant, LA ’58
Revella E. Hughes, LA ’17
Colbert I. King, LA ’61
Althea T.L. Simmons, LW ’56
May Miller Sullivan, LA ’20
Gerald E. Thomson, MED ’59
1988
William V. Bell, LA ’61
George T. Buder, Jr., LA ’54
A. Michael Espy, LA ’75
Henry C. Gregory III, LA ’56
Clara J. McLaughlin, LA ’72
Jack E. White, MED ’44
1989
Andrew P. Chambers, LA ’58
Bernard W. Harleston, LA ’51
Wenda W. Moore, LA ’63
Hugo A. Owens, Sr., DDS ’47
Lionel W. Young, MED ’57
1990
Larkin Arnold, Jr., JD ’69
Vernon E. Dobson, BA ’53
Harold P. Freeman, MD ’58
Carroll L. Miller, BA ’29, MA ’30
1991
David N. Dinkins, BS ’50
Gwendolyn S. King, BA ’62
Ruby G. Martin, LLB ’59, MS ’73
Gerald D. Prothro, BS ’66, MS ’69
1992
Sanford Cloud, Jr., BA ’66, JD ’69
James A. Forbes, BS ’57
R. Chester Redhead, BS ’50, DDS ’54
Lynn S. Whitfield, BFA ’75
1993
Alpha Coles Blackburn, BA ’61, MFA ’64
Walter Scott Blackburn, BA ’63
Paul Chen-Young, BA ’61
Charlene Drew Jarvis, MS ’64
Annie Brown Kennedy, LLB ’51
Hanes Walton, Jr., PhD ’67
Melvin Wesley Lindsey, BA ’77 (Posthumously)
1994
Jacqueline Butler Hairston, MUSB ’54
Conrad Kenneth Harper, BA ’62
Walter Lester Henry, MD ’41
Damon Jerome Keith, LLB ’49
Reed Vaughn Tuckson, BS ’73
Andre Reynold Tweed, MD ’42 (Posthumously)
1995
John F. J. Clark, Jr., MED ’46
Barbara Rose Harton, LA ’62
Robert Lee Moore Hilliard, LA ’51
Elaine R. Jones, LA ’65
Jeanne C. Sinkford, LA ’53, ON ’58
Togo D. West, Jr., EG ’65, LW ’68
1996
Lillian McLean Beard, LA ’65, MED ’70
Rodney A. Coleman, EA ’63
Andre L. Dennis, LW ’69
Marion Mann, MED ’54
Michael R. Winston, LA ’62
1997
Adolpho A. Birch, Jr., LW ’56
Harold Delaney, LA ’41, GS ’43, GS ’41(Posthumously)
Michele V. Hagans, LA ’73, GS ’76
Carolyn W. Meyers, EA ’68
Wilfred Reguero, MED ’66
Richard L. Smallwood, FA ’71
Estelle W. Taylor, GS ’47
Kgosi Lebone Boikanyo Moloclegi II (Citation)
1998
Charles H. Epps, Jr., LA ’51, MED ’55
Roselyn Payne Epps, LA ’51, MED ’55
Lester L. Lyles, EG ’68
Malkia Davis Roberts, LA ’36
Aaron A. Smith, MSW ’64
Lorraine Anderson Williams, LA ’44, GS ’45 (Posthumously)
Judith A. Winston, LA ’66
1999
Linda W. Cropp, LA ’69, GS ’71
Irvin D. Reid, LA ’63, ’66
Charles D. Watts, MED ’43
2000
Elijah E. Cummings, LA ’73
William P. DeVeaux, LA ’62
Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., LW ’60
Vicki L. Mabrey, LA ’77
Jessye Norman, FA ’67
Muriel M. Petioni, LA ’34, MED ’37
2001
Ebenezer B. Bush, Jr, DN ’52
Ossie Davis, HON ’73
J.C. Hayward, HON ‘85
Lou Stovall, FA ’66
2002
C. Sylvia Brown, LA ’62
Eddie C. Brown, EA ’61
Paula H.J. Cholmondeley, LA ’70
John E. Jacob, LA ’57, SW ’63
Stacey J. Mobley, PH ’68, LW ’71
James E. Silcott, EA ’57
2003
Renee Higginbotham-Brooks, LA ’74
William A. Johnson, Jr., LA ’65, GS ’68
Madison F. Richardson, MED ’69
Emmet G. Sullivan, LA ’68, LW ’71
Edward T. Welburn, Jr., FA ’72
2004
Antoine M. Garibaldi, LA ’73
Vashti Murphy McKenzie, RL ’85, Hon. LR ’00
Richard K. Scher, MED ’55
Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr., LA ’68, GS ’69
2005
Walter J. Leonard, LW ’68
Charles J. McDonald, MED ’60
Wendy Raquel Robinson, FA ’89
Thelma Barnaby Thompson, LA ’70, GS ’72, GS ’78
2006
Joseph E. Harris, LA ’52, GS ’56
Kamala D. Harris, LA ’86
Kenneth L. Lattimore
Accie M. Mitchell, MED ’65, LA ’65
George S. Willie, SB ’72
2007
Adrian M. Fenty, LW ’96
Jack B. Johnson, LW ’75
Isiah Leggett, GS ’72, LW ’74
William R. Martin, LA ’73
Isabel A. Wilkerson, LA ’84
2008
Ewart F. Brown, LA ’68, MED ’72
Maria M. Cabret, LW ’78
Harry G. Robinson III, EA ’66, GS ’70
Ive A. Swan, LW ’70
M. Lucius Walker, Jr., EA ’57
Fredricka F. Whitfield, SC ’87
2009
Sylvester Flowers, PH ’58
Eon Nigel Harris, LA ’68
Marian Johnson-Thompson, LA ’69, GS ’71
Charles D. King, LW ’96
Wtlliam E. Matoty, LA ’49, MED ’53 (Posthumously)
Bernice Johnson Reagon, GS ’75
2010
Cheick Modibo Diarra, GS ’83, GS ’88
Cain Hope Felder, LA ’66
Jacqueline Jordan Irvine, LA ’68, GS ’70
Floyd J. Malveaux, MED ’74
Gregory W. Meeks, LW ’78
Peggy A. Quince, LA ’70
Christopher J. Williams, AP ’79
2011
Taraji P. Henson, FA ’95
Weldon H. Latham, LA ’68
Mark A.L. Mason, SB ’91
JoAnn H. Price, LA ’71
Lydia W. Thomas, LA ’65, GS ’73
A. Eugene Washington, LA ’72
2012
George W. Draper III, LW ’81
Freda C. Lewis-Hall, MED ’80
C. David Moody, Jr., AP ’82
Sharon Pratt, LA ’65, LW ’68
M. Kasim Reed, LA ’92, LW ’95
2013
Winston A. Anderson, LA ’62, GS ’63
A. Scott Bolden, LW ’87
Janine Austin Clayton, MED ’89
Leslie H. Hicks, LA ’49
2014
Patricia E. Bath, MED ’68
T. Eloise Foster, LA ’68
James H. Johnson, Jr., EG ’69
LaSalle D. Leffall Jr., MED ’52
2015
Rushern L. Baker III, LA ’82, LW ’86
Minnie V. Baylor-Henry, PH ’72
Danette G. Howard, SC ’97
J. Weldon Norris, FA ’59
2016
Gina E. Adams, LW ’83
Ras J. Baraka, LA ’91
Michelle D. Bernard, LA ’85
Paulette Brown, LA ’73
2017
Sesquicentennial Celebration No Alumni Honorees
LEGEND
2018
Paula J. Giddings, LA ’69
Dorie A. Ladner, SW ’75
Bernard L. Richardson, LA ’75
2019
Rosie Allen-Herring. LA ’88
Lori George Billingsley, SC ’86
Boyd K. Rutherford, LA ’79
2020
Dereje Agonafer, GS ’79, GS ’84
Tanya M. Walton Pratt, LW ’84
Stanley R. Verrett, SC ’89
2021
Makola M. Abdullah, EG ’90
Thomas W. Mitchell, LW ’93
Mary A. Roach, PH ’95, PH ’97
2022
Edmund W. Gordon, BS ’42, BD ’45, H ’98
Dianne Dillon-Ridgley, BA ’72
Henry “Hank” James Thomas
Crystal Waters
2023
Edward E. Cornwell III, MED ’82
Lillian Lincoln Lambert SB ’66
Michelle Miller, SC ’89
Gregory L. Robinson EA, ’83
Lewis Thigpen, EA ’64
Mailissa Yamba-Butler FA ’95
2024
Suzanne Marie Randolph Cunningham, LA ’74
Andraé Townsel, ED ’07, ED ’09, ED ’15
2025
Nelson Leon Adams III, LA ‘74
Anthony Anderson, FA ‘22
Sunny Sumter, FA ‘94
Donald A. Thigpen, Jr., LW ‘74
Christopher J. Tyson, EA ‘98
A ACADEMY
AH ALLIED HEALTH
AP ARCHITECTURAL AND CITY PLANNING
C .....................................................................................................................................................................COLLEGE
C&F COMMERCE & FINANCE
CM CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
DN ............................................................................................................................................................ DENTISTRY
EA ENGINEERING & ARCHITECTURE
ED EDUCATION
EDC .............................................................................................................................. COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
EDS SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
EG ENGINEERING
FA FINE ARTS
FH ........................................................................................ FREEDMEN’S HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF NURSING
GD GRADUATE DIVISION
GS GRADUATE SCHOOL
HE .............................................................................................................................................. HUMAN ECOLOGY
HO HONORARY DEGREE
LA ........................................................................................................................................................ LIBERAL ARTS
LW LAW
MED MEDICINE
MU ............................................................................................................................................ SCHOOL OF MUSIC
N NORMAL DEPARTMENT
PH PHARMACY
PR ......................................................................................................................... PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT
RL RELIGION
SAS APPLIED SCIENCES
B BUSINESS
SC............................................................................................................................................. COMMUNICATIONS
SN NURSING
SW SOCIAL WORK
TC .......................................................................................................................................... TEACHERS COLLEGE
TH THEOLOGY
HOWARD UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minnie V. Baylor-Henry, Esq.
Dr. Richard E. Besser
Mr. Chris Carr
Mr. Donald B. Christian
The Honorable Arne Duncan
Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick – Interim
President and President Emeritus
Mr. Godfrey Gill
Reverend Dr. Michele V. Hagans
Ms. Leslie D. Hale – Chair
Dr. Lena Hill
Dr. Danette G. Howard
Mr. Marc S. Lampkin
Mr. Kevin E. Lofton
Mr. Mark A. L. Mason – Vice Chair
Ms. Depelsha McGruder
Mr. James J. Murren
Mr. Ziad Ojakli
Mr. Levoyd E. Robinson
Ms. Hilary Rosen
Mr. Shelley Stewart, Jr.
Mr. Bruce E. Thompson
Mr. Christopher J. Tyson
Dr. A. Eugene Washington
Mr. Chris Washington
TRUSTEES EMERITI
Dr. John E. Jacob, Chairman Emeritus
The Honorable Marie C. Johns
Mr. Robert L. Lumpkins
The Honorable Gabrielle K. McDonald
Stacey J. Mobley Esq., Chairman Emeritus
Dr. Laurence C. Morse, Chairman Emeritus
Martin D. Payson, Esq.
The Honorable M. Kasim Reed
The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder
Mrs. Benaree P. Wiley
PATRON EX OFFICIO
The Honorable Linda McMahon United States Secretary of Education
CELEBRATING 159 YEARS
For generations, Howard University has advanced truth, service, and excellence through its students. Together, we continue sending forth our rays of light—supporting scholars whose education will shape communities and change the world.
The Howard University Legacy Giving Society Celebrates Howard’s 159 Years of Excellence!
Howard University’s remarkable history and transformative impact transcend generations. Charter Day is more than a celebration of Howard’s founding on March 2, 1867—it is a powerful reminder of how philanthropy fuels the dreams of current and future students.
The Legacy Giving Society honors those who give back to ensure Howard’s mission of excellence endures for generations to come. By joining, you become a steward of Howard’s future, preserving its legacy and empowering the next wave of leaders.
What’s your Howard legacy?
Join us in shaping the future.
plannedgiving.howard.edu
The Legacy Giving Society is a group of alumni and friends who have shared their intention to include Howard University in their estate plans.
HOWARD UNIVERSITY
1867 – 2026
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, Class of 1916
—Music, F.D. Malone, Class of 1916