Howard University's Campus Life: A Student's Perspective

Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1867, Howard has a total undergraduate enrollment of 10,190 (as of fall 2023), with a campus size of 256-257 acres. The university offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs, with a diverse suite of degrees and a vibrant student life.

Howard's main campus is located in the Shaw neighbourhood of northwest Washington, D.C., with dedicated campuses for its School of Law, School of Divinity, and research facility nearby. The university provides on-campus housing for its students, with a variety of residence halls, and freshmen are not eligible for campus parking.

With its location in the nation's capital, Howard University offers students numerous internship and career opportunities in both the public and private sectors. The university has produced several notable alumni, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison.

Howard University's campus life

Campus life at Howard University is vibrant and diverse, with a wide range of extracurricular activities and organisations for students to engage with. The university offers over 200 clubs and student organisations, including academic clubs, fraternities and sororities, and Greek-letter organisations. There are also honour societies and international clubs that bring together students from different cultural backgrounds.

The university has a strong sense of community and pride, with a close-knit group of students known as the Bison. Campus life at Howard is characterised by a rich cultural and historical context, being a historically Black university with a long legacy of producing prominent alumni who have shaped democracy and civil rights. The university has several historic landmarks on campus, including Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel, Frederick Douglass Memorial Hall, and the Founders Library.

Howard University's location

Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university located in Washington, D.C., United States. Its main campus is situated in the northwest of the city, spanning 256 acres or 1.04 square kilometres across the District of Columbia and Maryland. The School of Law, School of Divinity, and Howard's research facility each have dedicated campuses nearby.

The university is located just two miles from the US Capitol, placing it in the middle of a hub of influence in government, health, technology, the economy, the arts, and more. The Howard University Hospital, which opened in 1975, is on the eastern side of the main campus. The hospital site was previously home to Griffith Stadium, which was used by several sports teams from the 1890s to 1965.

Howard University's campus, often referred to as "The Mecca", is in the Shaw neighbourhood. It has several historic landmarks, including Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel, Frederick Douglass Memorial Hall, and the Founders Library. The Howard University Gallery of Art, established in 1928, has a permanent collection of over 4,000 works of art. The Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, one of the world's largest repositories for the history and culture of people of African descent, is also located on campus.

Howard University's history

Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1867, shortly after the end of the American Civil War, by members of the First Congregational Society of Washington who initially sought to establish a theological seminary for the education of black clergymen. Within a few weeks, the project expanded to include a university, and the U.S. Congress chartered Howard on March 2, 1867. The university was named for General Oliver Otis Howard, a Civil War hero who was the founder of the university and, at the time, commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau. Howard later served as president of the university from 1869 to 1874.

Howard University has long been committed to the study of disadvantaged persons in American society and throughout the world, with the goal of eliminating inequities related to race, colour, and social, economic, and political circumstances. The university played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement, with students pioneering the "stool-sitting" technique of occupying stools at a local cafeteria that denied service to African Americans, blocking other customers waiting for service. This tactic played a prominent role in the later Civil Rights Movement.

Howard University has produced many notable alumni, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, and Emmy Award-winning actress Phylicia Rashad. It is regarded as one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in the world, with a current enrollment of approximately 11,000 students from diverse backgrounds and countries. The university has a rich history and has grown from a single-frame building in 1867 to a 256-acre campus in northwest Washington, D.C., known as "The Mecca".

Howard University's notable alumni

Howard University has an impressive list of notable alumni who have gone on to achieve great success in a variety of fields. Here are some of the most distinguished graduates:

Politics and Civil Rights

• Kamala Harris, the 49th Vice President of the United States and the first woman, first Black American, and first South Asian American to hold this position.
• Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American U.S. Supreme Court Justice and a prominent civil rights lawyer who fought against racial segregation.
• Andrew Young, a civil rights activist, diplomat, and politician who served as a U.S. Congressman, United Nations Ambassador, and Mayor of Atlanta.
• Edward Brooke, the first African-American elected to the U.S. Senate by popular vote, representing Massachusetts.
• David Dinkins, the first African-American Mayor of New York City, serving from 1990 to 1993.
• Elijah Cummings, a civil rights advocate and politician who served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Maryland's 7th congressional district from 1996 until his death in 2019.
• Kwame Ture (formerly known as Stokely Carmichael), a prominent civil rights organizer and a key leader in the development of the Black Power movement.
• Vernon Jordan, a civil rights activist, lawyer, and business executive who held various leadership positions and presidential appointments.
• Patricia Roberts Harris, the first African-American woman to serve in a presidential cabinet, holding positions such as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Secretary of Health and Human Services.
• Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress and a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1972.
• Stacey Abrams, a prominent political leader and voting rights activist who served in the Georgia House of Representatives and founded Fair Fight Action.

Literature and Arts

• Toni Morrison, a Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Prize-winning novelist known for books such as "The Bluest Eye," "Song of Solomon," and "Beloved."
• Zora Neale Hurston, a renowned author, anthropologist, and filmmaker known for novels like "Their Eyes Were Watching God" and her research on hoodoo.
• Ta-Nehisi Coates, a writer, journalist, and MacArthur Fellow known for books such as "Between the World and Me" and "The Water Dancer."
• Phylicia Rashad, an Emmy Award-winning actress widely known for her role as Clair Huxtable on "The Cosby Show" and her work as Dean of the College of Fine Arts at Howard University.
• Chadwick Boseman, an acclaimed actor known for his roles in "Black Panther," "42," and "Marshall," among others.
• Taraji P. Henson, an Academy Award-nominated actress known for her roles in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Hidden Figures," and "Empire."
• Roberta Flack, a Grammy Award-winning musician and singer known for hits such as "Killing Me Softly with His Song" and "Feel Like Makin' Love."
• Jessye Norman, a Grammy Award-winning operatic singer and humanitarian with a powerful voice and stage presence, known for her performances in opera houses worldwide.
• Kenny Lattimore, an R&B singer and songwriter.
• Amiri Baraka, a poet, writer, and activist known for his influential work during the Black Arts Movement.

Science, Medicine, and Mathematics

• Patricia Bath, an ophthalmologist, inventor, researcher, and humanitarian who was the first African-American woman doctor to receive a patent for a medical invention.
• Beth Brown, an astrophysicist and educator who was the first Black woman to earn a doctorate in astronomy from the University of Michigan.
• Mamie Phipps Clark, a social psychologist whose research on racial segregation and its impact on children was instrumental in the Brown v. Board of Education case.
• Whittier C. Atkinson, a physician and the first African-American doctor in Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was also the founder of Clement Atkinson Memorial Hospital.
• Frances Cress Welsing, a psychiatrist and author known for her book "The Isis Papers."
• Charles R. Drew, a pioneering surgeon who organized the first large-scale blood bank and was a prominent figure in blood transfusion research.
• Bessie Delany, one of the first African-American women to gain a dental degree and the first African-American woman licensed to practise dentistry in New York State.
• Roger Arliner Young, the first African-American woman to receive a doctorate in zoology.
• Bessie Stringfield, the first African-American woman to ride a motorcycle across the United States.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have graduated from Howard University and made significant contributions to their respective fields.

Howard University's student organizations

Howard University offers its students a wide range of student organizations to join. With over 200 student organizations and special interest groups, students can meet new people, explore new interests, and enhance their college experience.

The Office of Campus Life acts as an advocate for students and their organizations, providing national and local community service opportunities, as well as supporting personal leadership development and academic achievement. The office facilitates various University-Wide Committees that offer guidance for major events and student organization operations on campus.

Howard University has several types of student organizations, including geographical clubs, Greek-letter organizations, honor societies, international clubs, school and department clubs, sports clubs, and local-based groups/organizations.

Geographical clubs aim to foster social cohesion among students from the same geographical area, while also encouraging their involvement in campus activities and community service. Greek-letter organizations, including fraternities and sororities, provide opportunities for students to form lifelong friendships, expand their networks, and develop leadership skills. Honor societies recognize and promote excellence in various disciplines, with a focus on scholarship, character, and attainment in their respective fields. International clubs bring together US and international students, presenting programs and seminars on diverse cultures and international topics. School and department clubs offer leadership experiences and special interest groups within specific fields of study. Sports clubs cater to students, faculty, and staff who wish to develop their athletic skills and achieve excellence through intramural and intercollegiate programs. Lastly, local-based groups/organizations, such as student religious organizations, engage in civic work, social functions, and perpetuating religious concepts and ideals.

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