These Howard grads are helping preserve the school’s history!
Howard University’s homecoming has long been a sacred tradition, and this past weekend, the 100th anniversary of the beloved celebration was commemorated in a special way. Alumni Sasha Charlemagne (Class of 2021) and Johnathan Logan (Class of 2022) joined forces to curate “Since 1924: The Howard Homecoming Centennial Exhibit,” an exhibit that celebrates a century of homecoming history, paying homage to the university’s rich legacy.
With the help of Mariah Christian, Sonja Woods, Dr. Benjamin Talton, and the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center (MSRC) staff, Charlemagne and Logan brought Howard’s history to life, showcasing rare artifacts and archives at Howard’s Undergraduate Library. The exhibit, which has been years in the making, was inspired by Logan’s curiosity about the origins of homecoming. It was sparked in 2019 after Google released a “most searched in Black history” ad, naming Howard’s Homecoming as the most searched homecoming event. This curiosity led to a deeper investigation, and soon, Logan began researching and collecting materials. Since then, the two worked diligently, diving into archives, pulling selections from Howard’s Hilltop Newspaper, yearbooks, and alumni submissions to craft a narrative that honored the school’s vibrant past.
Howard Homecoming Queens through the decades…consistently iconic. pic.twitter.com/6f2Iv6GcD9
— SASHA (@sashasaidsum) October 18, 2024
“It was an honor to be able to show other Bison their history and remind them that they are not the first to face these issues, to feel these feelings, or to desire a supportive community to guide them along the way,” Charlemagne shared with Because of Them We Can. “As an initiate of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, curating this exhibit was also a reminder of how impactful my sisters have been in the development and maintenance of Howard’s culture and traditions.” Logan echoed these sentiments, adding, “The exhibit means a lot to me because of the necessity to tell a story of a culture that was crafted through a beautiful collaboration between alumni, staff, and students.”
The exhibit features iconic artifacts, such as images of Robin Gregory being crowned as the first Afrocentric Homecoming Queen, memorabilia from Angela Davis’s time on the Homecoming Court, and Life Magazine’s coverage of the 1946 Homecoming by photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt. It also includes Emory B. Smith’s 1924 column declaring the first Howard Homecoming, and highlights moments like Toni Morrison’s role on the Homecoming Queen Court of 1952 and model Anok Yai’s appearance at Howard Homecoming in 2018.
The exhibit will remain on display at Howard University’s Undergraduate Library until January 2025. For those unable to attend in person, online access is being explored to allow broader engagement. This exhibit is more than just a look at the past—it’s a tribute to the generations who’ve shaped Howard University’s homecoming into the iconic celebration it is today.
Cover photo: Howard Grads Curate Exhibit Celebrating 100 Years of Howard’s Homecoming/Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sasha Charlemagne and Johnathan Logan