For more than a century and a half, Howard University has served as the nexus of culture and intellectualism. At times when Black expression was marginalized, ridiculed, co-opted, or appropriated, Howard became a refuge for creative authenticity, agency, renewal, and freedom. The university has produced scores of consequential artists, including Tony, Emmy, Grammy, and Golden-Globe Award winners, not to mention the winner of a Nobel Prize for literature. Just as important, it has served as a place where both established and aspiring artists have come to collaborate, learn, connect, and be inspired.
Howard's irrefutable positioning at the center of global Black culture was cemented with the publication of former professor Alain Locke Ph.D.'s anthology "The New Negro," which for the first time gave a national platform to artists in a range of genres and sparked the Harlem Renaissance. Demonstrated through the uniqueness of writings by Zora Neale Hurston (A.A. ‘24), the importance of books by Nobel laureate Toni Morrison (B.A.’53, H ’95), the multifaceted artistry of Emmy Award-winner Debbie Allen (BFA ’72, DHL ’93), and the box office blockbuster performances of Chadwick Boseman (BFA ’00), Howard is singular in its ability to liberate creativity and nurture it until it is ready to impact the world.
Among the reasons Howard is called "the Mecca" is because the world's most talented and accomplished creatives come to Howard to share their knowledge, ideas, and expertise. From Morrison, who served as a Howard faculty member, to former dean of the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Arts and Sciences Phylicia Rashad (BFA ’70), a two-time Tony Award winner and star of a #1 television show, to Grammy-nominee Christie Dashiell (MUSB ’10), to scores of faculty, visiting artists, lecturers, panelists, and conference attendees, the campus attracts as much greatness as it emanates.
Howard Magazine showcases a tiny representation of Howard's cultural legacy through this editorial tribute to the university's impact on the arts.
Howard Magazine Celebrates Howard's Impact on the Arts
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Debbie Allen: Maven of the Arts
Alumna Debbie Allen is the rare artist who is relevant in any time period.
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Art Gallery
Howard's student artists are among the most talented in the nation.
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Where Artistry Meets Legacy: A History of Theatre Arts at The Mecca
At Howard University, theatre arts have never been an extracurricular afterthought. It is a tradition that predates motion pictures, helped catalyze a national Black theatre movement, and still functions as a pipeline of artists, administrators, and ideas into stages and screens worldwide.
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Howard University and the Birth of a New Black Theatre Tradition
Howard University’s impact on Black theatre.
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Revolutionary Writing
Howard's literary journal, The Amistad, and the university's writing department uphold a long legacy.
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Let Us Cook: Advancing Howard's Filmmaker Lineage
Howard film students, alongside professor and alumna Montre Aza Missouri, highlight the university’s rich history and impact on Black cinema during annual University Film & Video Association conference.
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Father and Daughter Share a Stage in Howard University's Music Department
Christie Dashiell and her father Carroll “CVD” Dashiell Jr. are proud Bison and their roots in the university's music department run deep.
Article ID: 2506