Howard University is positioned as one of the key hubs of Black academic thinking with the surprise hire of two of the country’s most notable race writers, just as America battles through a painful crossroads over historic racial injustice. Howard University, on the other hand, has never been known for its secrecy. The largely Black university in the nation’s capital has trained generations of Black political and cultural leaders for more than a century. Justice
Thurgood Marshall of the Supreme Court, civil rights leader Stokely Carmichael, Nobel laureate Toni Morrison, and Vice President Kamala Harris are among those honored. Even by those measures, though, the institution has recently been on a roll, with new financing streams, increased cultural relevance, and high-profile faculty appointments. The employment of Nikole Hannah-Jones and Ta-Nehisi Coates this week confirms Howard’s intention to delve deep into America’s polarizing race issue.
After a protracted tenure battle at the University of North Carolina focusing on conservative objections to her work, Hannah-Jones picked Howard University, where she will occupy the Knight Chair in Race and Journalism. She rose to prominence as part of The New York Times’ “1619 Project,” which reframed American history through a racial equity perspective and helped popularize the concept of critical race theory, which has become a hot topic among Republicans. For years, Coates has written critically about race relations in the United States, and he is strongly identified with the debate for slavery reparations.
Wayne Frederick, the president of Howard University, describes neither hiring as overtly political, but rather as a logical extension of the university’s guiding spirit. In an interview, Frederick stated, “Howard University has been on that caravan for social justice for roughly 154 years.” “Howard has a long and illustrious history….” My job is to modernize that and bring faculty to the institution who are working in today’s world and speaking about today’s issues.” Howard alumni and Columbia University journalism professor Jelani Cobb regarded the changes as “a crucial jump in the university’s national stature.”
All of this comes after a time of internal strife and financial scandal only a few years ago. Six workers were fired in 2018 when it was revealed that more than $350,000 in grant money had been misused, and students staged a nine-day takeover of the administrative building to demand improved accommodation and a halt to tuition rises. Despite these issues, Howard has witnessed an increase in applications and enrollment as more Black students opt for historically Black institutions and universities. “I believe we are witnessing a renaissance, and I believe it is being driven by students rather than parents,” said Noliwe Rooks, chair of Africana studies at Brown University.