WASHINGTON, D.C. – Howard University announced today that it will celebrate the 158th anniversary of its founding with Charter Day events featuring Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and actor and alumnus Anthony Anderson (B.F.A. ’22). Bowser will be the keynote speaker for the university’s Charter Day Convocation on Friday, February 28, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. in Cramton Auditorium its campus. Anderson will host the annual Charter Day Dinner on March 1, 2025, a gala scholarship fundraiser. The Alumni Award for Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement, which recognizes alumni for exemplary professional achievements and exceptional contributions to society, will be presented to Anderson, along with fellow alumni Nelson L. Adams III, M.D., FACOG (B.S. ’74), Sunny Sumter (B.A. ’94), Donald A. Thigpen Jr. (J.D. ’74), and Trustee Christopher J. Tyson (B.Arch. ’98). Howard University’s Congressionally authorized charter was signed into law on March 2, 1867. 

“From our research and technological capabilities to our scholarly, artistic, and social justice impact, we are positioning Howard to continue its leadership in the context of this year’s Charter Day theme, “The Power of Possibility,’” said Howard University President Ben Vinson III, Ph.D.

Washington, D.C. Mayor Bowser has focused on enhancing the city’s global competitiveness, speeding up affordable housing production, and diversifying the economy, increasing satisfaction in city services, and statehood. A Washington D.C. native, Mayor Bowser previously served as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner and as a member of the DC Council. She is the first African American woman to be elected to three, four-year terms as mayor of an American city. She follows in the footsteps of several Bison who have led the city, including former mayors Walter E. Washington (L.L.B., ’48), Sharon Pratt (B.A. ’65, J.D. ’68), and Adrian Fenty (J.D. '96).

Anthony Anderson is an Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actor best known for his leading role as Andre “Dre” Johnson on ABC’s groundbreaking sitcom “Black-ish” and his starring role as Detective Kevin Barnard in “Law and Order.” He has appeared in more than 40 feature films, including blockbusters such as “Transformers” and “The Departed.” Most recently, he was the lead actor and executive producer of Netflix’s film “Beats.” He is a philanthropist and advocates for causes including diabetes prevention and organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club and the Los Angeles Mission.

Nelson L. Adams III has established himself as a pioneer in the field of medicine and an advocate for eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities. A board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, Adams has dedicated his career to improving maternal and child health, founding the award-winning Maternal Child Health Initiative. 

Sunny Sumter, president and CEO of the DC Jazz Festival is a celebrated arts leader who has made significant contributions to the cultural and artistic landscape. Under her leadership, the festival has become a cornerstone of Washington, D.C.’s cultural community, earning the DC Mayor’s Arts Award for Excellence. She previously served as the host of Jazz Central on the BET network and has earned the Journalists Association Jazz Heroes Award and the Sitar Arts Center Visionary Award., she is a member of Americans for the Arts and the National Academy for Recording Arts and Sciences.

Donald A. Thigpen Jr. served as senior counsel office of the Washington, D.C attorney general. His notable contributions include overseeing the legal framework for the development of the Capital One Arena and merging mental health services in D.C.  He served as president of the Washington Bar Association and was inducted into the National Bar Association Hall of Fame.

Christopher J. Tyson, a Howard University trustee, is the president of the National Community Stabilization Trust (NCST), where he leads efforts to promote affordable homeownership, stabilize neighborhoods, build community wealth, and advance racial equity. Before joining NCST, he served as the Newman Trowbridge Distinguished Professor of Law at the LSU Law Center and served as president and CEO of Build Baton Rouge, leading urban redevelopment projects that secured over $50 million in grant funding to revitalize the city’s most disinvested neighborhoods.

More information about Charter Day and related programming can be found at https://howard.edu/CharterDay. 

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