There’s no other Black college in the nation more famous, more prominent, more respected and more cherished than ‘The Mecca,’ Howard University.
5 of the 9 Black Greek Lettered Organizations, commonly called the “Divine 9,” are located on Howard’s prestigious grounds, and many notable Black lawyers, educators, doctors and athletes can thank their time spent on Howard’s yard for some of their successes in life—what’s up, Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick.
And Diddy, we see you baby.
This past May, Diddy, or Sean Combs, or whatever he’s going by nowadays, delivered the Commencement address at Howard. “Ain’t no homecoming like a Howard homecoming,” Diddy said during his speech. “Howard University didn’t just change my life – it entered my soul, my heart, my being and my spirit.”
Diddy, the entrepreneur, musician, actor, fashion designer, Oscar winner and Howard legend, was welcomed home by his friend and classmate Frederick and the Howard community, and the college set a new standard (a good one I think) for just who can give a Commencement address.
I’m guessing we should start addressing Diddy as “Dr. Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs” now.
Whatever the case, Howard is a trendsetter.
Howard is like that first line of defense, like the pledgee in the front, who sets the pace—Howard is…well, Howard. And yes, Howard is the “real HU.”
Howard sets the standard, and everyone else follows.
[Read: “Howard University Hospital Receives $11M Grant to Research Ebola and HIV“]
It’s been one month since the shooting death of Michael Brown, an unarmed African-American teenager gunned down by police. Still, no arrests has been made.
In the aftermath of the Brown shooting and the controversy that later engulfed the people of Ferguson, Mo. and a nation, Howard students joined together to take a stand: “Don’t shoot!”
With their hands up in the “Don’t shoot!” pose Howard students sent a message on Wednesday, Aug. 13 in Cramton Auditorium to the police officers in Ferguson, and beyond that a Black life does mean something.
Howard keeps setting the educational standard in the black community.
The Howard Student Association commented that the “Don’t shoot!” photo has gain over 13,000 retweets and inspired other students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to take similar photos and has captured media attention.
When HBCU Buzz posted the photo on our Instagram account several other students at Black colleges responded by sending in their school’s version to be posted including, Central State U. in Ohio, FAMU in Florida and Tuskegee U. in Alabama.
A movement by the new generation of students was started at our nation’s HBCUs in honor of a tragic moment in history that will never be forgotten.
This is why Howard is…Howard.
