Celebrating the Majesty of The Mecca at the 100th Charter Day Dinner

While the night highlighted the Charter Day Dinner’s centennial celebration, it completed Howard University President Ben Vinson III’s first of Charter Day festivities. Officially inaugurated as the University’s 18th president on November 3, 2023, Vinson admired the Bison pride to honor and celebrate Howard’s founding and legacy. Vinson reflected on the message shared by the 157th Charter Day orator, Michael Winston, Ph.D. (B.A. ’62), the founding director of the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center and former University administrator, calling it “powerful and profound.”  

 “I understand why you come back, why we revere these grounds, and why we draw strength from each other and why we shine bright for the world, and why we are unique,” Vinson said during his closing remarks. “There are more moments like this to come as we bathe in the majesty of The Mecca.”

Honoring the 2024 Alumni Achievement Award Recipients 

Suzanne Marie Randolph Cunningham, Ph.D. (B.A. ’74) and Andrae Townsel (B.S. ’07, M.Ed. ’09, Ed.D. ’15) were honored as the 2024 Alumni Achievement Award recipients. Earning the award in psychology and public health, Randolph Cunningham’s work specializes in psychology and family science.  

Randolph Cunningham’s groundbreaking work in Washington D.C.’s communities on Black infant attachments to their mothers during the crack epidemic, and her research on early childcare and youth development, would set forth a path on conducting research and creating curriculums throughout the public health landscape. 

“In my professional career, it’s always been something personal, something Howard and that personal connections that I made within those four years that has really catapulted me to where I am,” Randolph Cunningham said.  

A native of Detroit, Townsel uses his proud beginnings and personal philosophy of “set the bar, meet the bar, exceed the bar and raise the bar,” to inspire children throughout Maryland’s education system today.  

“I’ve shared with young people and adults and that’s really resonated with them,” Townsel said. “If you’re getting 1% better over time, you’re going to look back and see how far you’ve come.” 

Robert Parker was honored as this year’s LaRue V. Barkwell Capstone Service Award honoree at the Charter Day Dinner. For 24 years, Parker’s work of managing Howard’s campus entities has ensured the safety and security of the campus community. 

“We have a lot of different people who make this the best University, I’m just here to make it safe,” said Parker, a former U.S. Marine whose daughter, Aisha, is currently a freshman at Howard. 

Enriching Today’s Bison: Moving Howard’s Legacy Forward 

As Charter Day coincides with the annual University’s Alternative Spring Break (HUASB) service project, student attendance was sparse. However, the 2023-2024 Mr. Howard University Mahlon West and Miss Howard University Armaní Washington represented the student body at the dinner. 

“It’s not just with our alum or the trailblazers before us…our work on campus right now is putting forth for the next generations,” Washington said. “People are coming back because they’re seeing a form of power, of excellence still breathing at Howard University.” 

The royal pair agreed that Charter Day represented the historic perseverance and passions of the University’s community, as thousands of alumni returning for Charter Day festivities exemplify the “lifelong experience” of being part of the Bison community.  

“It strengthens that legacy, the pride that we have in our school and I’m glad to be represented as a leader of our student body amongst the next leaders of this generation and generations to come,” West said.  

Alumnus Kenny Lattimore served as Charter Day Dinner’s entertainment. Before singing his hit Grammy-nominated ballad, “For You,” Lattimore reflected on his time at Howard. “For You” is a single from his self-titled debut album released in 1997 after his departure from The Mecca. 

“What I loved about Howard was the nurturing and seeing young people of color from all over the diaspora excelling in excellence,” Lattimore said before performing. Lattimore was an architectural planning student and received the Alumni Award for Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement in 2006. 

To close the night, Vinson recalled the Charter Day festivities of 1924 in archives written by Emma Rose (B.A. ’16) in The Howard Alumnus. Rose reviewed the dinner under its former name, Alumni-Senior Charter Day Dinner. Vinson found similarities, a heritage of excellence and inspiration, in the storied nights that fell 100 years apart. 

“With an end to the feasting and good-natured chaffing rose the sounds of the alma mater, classmates mingled with laughter and nimble feet responded to the enchanting music and happy hearts and voices made the walls ring in adoration,” Vinson read.  

“As we prepare to bring tonight’s dinner to a close, keep in mind a hundred years may have passed, but the Bison spirit remains alive. I sincerely hope you all have felt the Bison spirit that has and continues to imbue these annual proceedings.”