Washington, D.C. - As Howard University prepares to welcome more than 1,000 guests to its 100th Charter Day Dinner on March 2, it is pleased to announce that two alumni will serve in key roles for the event, the University’s premier fundraiser for student scholarships. This year, the Howard University community will gather to commemorate Howard University’s founding on March 2, 1867. 

Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actor Anthony Anderson (BFA ’22) will serve as the Charter Day Dinner emcee and R&B singer Kenny Lattimore will be the featured entertainment. An event that annually recognizes the achievements of alumni, it is fitting to have two of Howard’s former students serve in these positions, especially as the University celebrates 100 years of hosting the dinner, said President Ben Vinson III, Ph.D. 

“In the time since I was named president of this wonderful institution last May, one thing that has stood out is the amazing loyalty to and love for Howard University shared by its alumni,” said Vinson, who was inaugurated as Howard University’s 18th president in November 2023. “I am excited to be attending my first Charter Day Dinner as president and to be in the room with so many people who care about the University and support its commitment to providing deserving students with scholarships to ease the financial burdens often associated with obtaining a college education.” 

“Having our own Anthony Anderson and Kenny Lattimore on board makes the event all the more special,” continued President Vinson. “Both have used what they learned here as students at Howard University to build successful careers that have spanned decades. I know all who are in attendance will be in for a wonderful evening of acknowledging all that makes Howard University the dynamic and revered institution that we know and love.” 

Additionally, two alumni – Suzanne Marie Randolph Cunningham, Ph.D. (B.S. ’74), and Andrae Townsel, Ed.D. (B.A. ’07, M.Ed. ’09, Ed.D. ’15) – will receive the 2024 Alumni Award for Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement. First presented in 1943, the Alumni Award for Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement has been presented to 344 alumni in a variety of fields for their exemplary professional achievements and exceptional contributions to society. Past honorees include Vice President Kamala Harris (B.A. ’86), Pulitzer Prize winning writer Isabel Wilkerson (B.A. ’84), philanthropists Eddie (B.A. ’61) and Sylvia (B.A. ’62) Brown, and the late LaSalle D. Leffall Jr., (M.D. ’52). Nominees for the Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement Award are selected by a committee that includes alumni and University staff. The names are presented to the Board of Trustees for final approval. 

Anthony Anderson, Emcee 

Best known for his leading role as Andre “Dre” Johnson on ABC’s hit sitcom “black-ish” from 2014-2022, Anthony Anderson has appeared in more than 40 feature films, including “Me, Myself & Irene,” “Transformers,” “The Departed,” “Two Can Play That Game,” “Scary Movie 3,” the Academy Award nominated “Ferdinand,” and the “Barbershop” franchise. Most recently, Anderson starred in and was the executive producer of Netflix’s film “Beats,” alongside actress Uzo Aduba and newcomer thespian Khalil Everage. On the small screen, Anderson made appearances on television shows such as “Ally McBeal,” “In the House,” “My Wife and Kids, and "The Bernie Mac Show” before becoming a series regular on NBC’s long-running hit “Law and Order” from 2008 to 2010, reprising the role of Detective Kevin Barnard in 2022. 

Anderson has also served as an executive producer of “grown-ish,” the “black-ish” spinoff that aired on Freeform and appeared in the Emmy award winning pair of ABC live television specials, “Live in Front of a Studio Audience.” He first appeared as Henry Jefferson in “Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons,’” and then as himself in the second special, “Live in Front of a Studio Audience: ‘All in the Family’ and ‘Good Times,” performing the opening song with Patti LaBelle. Last month, Anderson hosted the 2024 Emmy Awards and can currently be seen as the host of the new FOX game show “We Are Family” which premiered in early January and in the upcoming Amazon action-thriller “G20” opposite Academy Award winning actor Viola Davis. Most recently, Anderson earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for his A&E show, “Kings of BBQ,” which follows him and co-host Cedric The Entertainer as the fellow comedians discuss their love of barbeque and launch their own barbeque label, AC Barbeque.  

An honorary member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Anderson is well-known for his advocacy and philanthropic giving, holding events such as the annual Anthony Anderson Celebrity Golf Classic which benefits the American Diabetes Association, the Los Angeles Mission, and Boys & Girls Club of America. He also proudly serves on the GOOD+ Foundation’s Fatherhood Leadership Council and was inducted into the Class of 2017 Boys & Girls Club of America National Alumni Hall of Fame. Additionally, Anderson, who has Type 2 diabetes, is an advocate for diabetes awareness and serves as a spokesperson for the “Get Real About Diabetes” campaign.  

A native of Compton, Calif., Anderson attended Hollywood High School for the Performing Arts, where he earned first place in the NAACP's ACTSO Awards with his performance of the classic monologue from "The Great White Hope." That performance, along with his dedication to his craft, earned him an arts scholarship to Howard University in the 1990s. Due to financial challenges, Anderson had to leave the University after his junior year, but his desire to get his degree never wavered. He returned to complete his studies and earned his degree from the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts. Anderson currently lives in Los Angeles. 

Kenny Lattimore, Entertainer 

A native of Washington, D.C., Kenny Lattimore started his professional career in 1988 as a member of the R&B group, Mannequin, which was signed by Epic Records. The group’s lead single, “I Wanna Ride,” was a popular answer to the hit single “Mercedes Boy” by singer Pebbles in 1989. In 1994, Lattimore signed a solo deal with Columbia Records, releasing his debut album, “Kenny Lattimore," in 1996. Eventually reaching gold-level sales, the album produced two Top 20 hits, “Never Too Busy” and “For You,” the latter earning a coveted Grammy Award nomination.  

Lattimore received critical acclaim for his 1998 follow-up album, “From the Soul of Man,” which had such hits as “Days Like This,” “If I Lose My Woman,” and a cover of The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” 

After a brief break, Lattimore signed a contract with Arista Records in 2000, allowing him to work with famed music executive Clive Davis. Lattimore recorded four albums with Arista, including “Weekend” in 2001. His smooth delivery has been synonymous with love songs, leading The New York Times to call Lattimore a “modern soul man” on stage who shows “strong, but sensitive and caring side of Black men.” 

In 2012, Lattimore started his own record company, SincereSoul Records and released “Back 2 Cool” in January 2013.  

Lattimore’s nuanced vocals have graced projects by a diverse array of artists from Musiq Soulchild and Rachelle Ferrell to Nancy Wilson and Brian Culbertson. He has created music for iconic movie soundtracks like “Love Jones,” “The Best Man,” and Disney’s “Lion King II Simba’s Pride.” In 2020, Lattimore’s “Days Like This” was featured in “The Last Dance,’’ a 10-part Emmy Award winning documentary about the career of NBA legend Michael Jordan who listened to Lattimore’s music as he prepared for the NBA Finals during the 1997-1998 season. 

Lattimore, who is married to Faith Jenkins, has a son and a daughter. Lattimore is a humanitarian who uses his life and platform as a tool to inspire others to pursue excellence and elevate positive conversation about art, culture, family and faith. 

The 2024 Charter Day Dinner will be held at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Washington, D.C. For sponsorship and ticket information, please visit the 2024 Charter Day Dinner site. 

Media Contact: Monica Lewis, monica.lewis@howard.edu

###