Howard University

Washington, DC · founded 1867 · 13,000 students · hbcu · Northeast Conference

Known for: Howard University is one of the nation's premier historically Black universities (HBCUs), renowned for its leadership in producing African American professionals in medicine, law, business, and the arts. It is often called 'The Mecca' of Black education and is a center for social justice and political activism.

Rankings

U.S. News national: #115
QS World: #801
Times Higher Education: #601
Forbes: #142

Top programmes

Business
Communications
Health Sciences
Law
Engineering
Fine Arts

Notable alumni

Kamala Harris — Vice President of the United States
Chadwick Boseman — Acclaimed actor known for 'Black Panther'
Toni Morrison — Nobel Prize-winning author
Thurgood Marshall — First African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Ta-Nehisi Coates — National Book Award-winning author and journalist
Phylicia Rashad — Actress best known for 'The Cosby Show'
Sean Combs — Music producer and entrepreneur known as 'Puff Daddy'
David Dinkins — First African American mayor of New York City

Traditions

Homecoming (a major cultural event)
Yard Show (step show performances)
Founders Library Bell Ringing
Convocation

If Howard University were…

As a food: Mumbo sauce over fried chicken wings from a DC carryout — Born from the specific culture and geography of Black Washington, can't be replicated anywhere else, and represents a distinct tradition that locals fiercely protect and outsiders often misunderstand or underestimate.
As an athlete: Cori 'Coco' Gauff — Young, Black, supremely talented, carries the weight of representation with grace, performs on the biggest stages, and represents both excellence and the responsibility to speak truth to power.
As a person alive today: Ta-Nehisi Coates — Intellectual rigor meets cultural authenticity, unafraid to challenge power structures, deeply rooted in Black thought and history, and commands respect in spaces that historically excluded voices like his.
As a historical figure: Frederick Douglass — Self-made through education, used intellect as liberation, bridged activism and institution-building, and proved that Black excellence could reshape American democracy itself.
As a movie or TV show: A Different World — Literally set at a fictional HBCU and captured the political energy, step shows, Yard culture, and the specific experience of Black students building community while preparing to change the world.
As a US president: Barack Obama — Historic significance, represents breaking barriers while carrying the burden of representation, politically astute, rooted in community organizing, and proves excellence in spaces that weren't built for you.
As a city: Lagos, Nigeria — Vibrant African diaspora energy, political capital with global influence, mix of old institutions and new hustle, and a place where Black excellence isn't exceptional—it's the baseline expectation.
As an element: Gold — Historically valuable and fought over, doesn't tarnish despite attempts to diminish it, conducts power efficiently, and its worth is intrinsic even when others try to devalue it.
As a car: 1968 Cadillac Eldorado — Howard is this Black luxury powerhouse from the Civil Rights era—bold, unapologetically political, with Thurgood Marshall and Kamala Harris in its alumni garage, cruising through DC with the top down and history in the r

Campus life

Campus life is culturally rich, politically aware, and tightly knit, with a strong emphasis on Black excellence, heritage, and community. Social and intellectual life thrives through student organizations, homecoming events, and activism. The vibe is historic, empowering, and socially conscious.