Howard University will recognize distinguished honorary degree recipients for outstanding contributions to society and to their respective fields. These honorees exemplify excellence in poetry and literature; acting, production, and advocacy; medical research and practice; and public policy in areas including justice and human rights.  They inspire us with their dedication to excellence and innovation and their commitment to truth and service. 

• LeVar Burton will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. Burton is one of the world’s most prolific and impactful artists, with a decades-long career that includes roles as an actor, director, producer, author, and podcaster. He is the recipient of 15 Emmys Awards, a Peabody Award, a Grammy Award, and seven NAACP Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Inaugural Children's & Family Emmys.
• Emery Neal Brown, Ph.D., will receive an honorary Doctor of Science degree. Brown is one of the foremost leaders in computational neuroscience and anesthesiology.
• The Honorable Barbara Lee will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. She was the first Black woman to represent northern California in the state legislature and the U.S. Congress, where she served for 27 years and chaired the Congressional Black Caucus, Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity, and Congressional Social Work Caucus, among other leadership posts.
• Lilian Seenoi Barr will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Seenoi Barr is the first Black mayor in Northern Ireland and leads Derry City and Strabane.
• Natasha Trethewey will receive a Doctor of Letters degree. Trethewey is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American poet who served as United States Poet Laureate.