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Howard University Book Report

Decent Essays

“Washington… was a ‘promised land’ to many a freeman… it was the capital of the nation– that is, of the North that had set them free.”

-Walter Dyson, A.M.

History
Founding of Howard University
On November 19, 1866, a number of members of the First Congregational missionary society met to hear Dr. Charles B Boynton, presiding minister, emphasize the special obligation of the nation and clergy to the recently emancipated freedmen. Reverend Benjamin F. Morris, a member of the society, then enthusiastically spoke about a visit to Wayland Seminary. During this visit he was impressed by the accomplishments that a teacher with poor equipment was able to make with half a dozen young colored men. By the end of the meeting, Morris then proposed the …show more content…

This idea to include a health focused course of study developed out of a dilemma of what the freedmen needed more, doctors for their souls or doctors for their bodies. Months later the chair of Anatomy and Physiology enlarged his chair into the Medical Department, which was organized in 1867 (Dyson, 1921, Logan, 1969). Although the School of Theology was envisioned in 1866, the Theological Department was not organized until 1870 (Logan, 1969). Howard first opened its doors on May 2, 1867, to the students of its Normal department. Soon after the Normal Department was accompanied by a Preparatory Department for the preparation of college bound students. A Model School was then created to prepare students for either departmental track in 1868, and finally a Miner school was created for students younger than the enrollee’s at the Model school. The Model and Miner schools were both used for practice and observation by the Normal and Preparatory Departments (Dyson, 1922, Logan, …show more content…

Alpha Phi Alpha was the first Greek-lettered fraternity for men, chartered in 1907, (State Purpose here). The following year, Alpha Kappa Alpha was the first Greek-lettered sorority for women, both founded and chartered at Howard University, (State Purpose here). The University also strongly advocated for Health and Athletics, the Howard University Record, in multiple issues, points out the fields and pathways available for student activities (Howard University, 1907, Howard University, 1911, Howard University, 1920). The 1911 volume of the Howard University Report notes the offering of the following competitive sports: Football, Basketball, Baseball, Cricket, Tennis, and Track and Field (Howard University,

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