She followed up with another seminal classic, “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” in 1974. Like the year before, Flack spent more weeks at number one on the Billboard charts in 1974 than any other artist, topping the charts for five weeks. The Fugees featuring Lauren Hill released a version in the 1990s which also became a hit, but Flack’s version is included on both Rolling Stone’s and Billboard’s listings of the greatest songs of all time. 

At Howard, Flack began collaborating with another prolific singer and Howard student, Donny Hathaway, a Cook Hall resident. Her first album included a song written by Hathaway, called, “Our Ages or Our Hearts.” Together, they recorded, “Where is the Love,” and the “The Closer I Get to You,” songs that continue to find their place across media today. After Hathaway’s death in 1979, Flack donated all of the profits from the song to his family. In the 1980s, Flack continued to punctuate the Billboard charts. The 1983 hit, "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love," a duet with Peabo Bryson, peaked at #16 in the Top 100. She continued to record throughout her life, including the song "Running," which she recorded in 2018 at age 80. As late as 2021, her version of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" was released.

For part of her life, she lived near the university on Euclid Street. Before she came into the international spotlight, she was a local legend, performing at nighttime spots. Flack, sometime around 1967, began performing full-time at Mr. Henry's Capitol Hill Club in Washington. Her extraordinary talent was recognized when jazz musician Les McCann discovered her singing at Mr. Henry’s and immediately signed her to Atlantic Records.

Flack was active with the Howard community, leading master classes and providing inspiration to upcoming artists. Described by Rev. Jesse Jackson as “socially relevant and politically unafraid,” Flack continued to impact the world even after retiring from touring in 2018. Beyond the stage, Flack was a dedicated humanitarian and mentor. She founded the Roberta Flack School of Music at the Hyde Leadership Charter School in the Bronx, offering a free, innovative music education program to underprivileged students. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped raise awareness and funds for FeedTheChildren.org, underscoring her enduring commitment to making a difference.

Even before she met Flack, Howard alumna Valerie "Kehembe" Eichelberger (B.Mus. '71, M.M. '97) was inspired by Flack’s ability to express the mood and sentiment of the times. In fact, one of her favorite Flack tracks is “Trying Times.” She still plays Flack’s vinyl albums on her stereo at home. Today, Eichelberger is an associate professor at Howard specializing in classical and jazz voice and serves as the music business coordinator. She is an accomplished musician in her own right, having performed live across the world and on nationally televised programs such as PBS’s “History Detectives.”

“We are talking about trying times now, the same way she wrote about it and sang about it in the sixties,” Eichelberger said. 

Flack and Eichelberger got to know each other while both were private students of famous voice coach Frederick “Wilkie” Wilkerson. Their connection grew when Flack formed a small ensemble to do a tribute for spiritual icon Hall Johnson and led a performance at the Kennedy Center featuring students from Wilkerson’s studio, including Eichelberger.  

She was a noted Washington D.C.-based performer in her own right but would make a point to go see Flack whenever she could. 

“I would be running from my gigs and go running to Mr. Henry’s to try to catch her before she had her last set,” Eichelberger said. “She made it famous. Folks started bringing bigger acts to Mr. Henry’s.” Later, Eichelberger was performing at Mr. Henry’s herself, and was thrilled to look up and see Flack in the audience. 

Though Eichelberger graduated a few years after Flack, she was a classmate of Donny Hathaway and was doubly inspired by the artistry Flack and Hathaway made together.

“Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway doing a major recording and just singing together again brought that Howard spin to the world,” she said.

Eichelberger recalls Flack’s multiple visits to Howard to interact with the students over decades, including her final visit two years ago. She spoke to the music students about being grateful and gracious. Even though Flack had recently had a stroke and was in a wheelchair, she was fully able to engage with the students. 

“We don’t do this to become famous, we do this because we love it,” Eichelberger said. “And when I think back about all the work that I have done, I personally feel so grateful and that we can’t take any of that for granted at all. And I’m sure that would be something Ms. Flack would say to us. Don’t take any day for granted. Make every day important and take the time to work hard. Practice, practice, practice. Do everything possible to get this to be the statement you want to make to the world.” 

Dr. Clarence Knight (B.M.E. ’59, M.M.E. ’69) was Flack’s classmate at Howard, where he majored in flute and music education. While a student, he was also the lead alto saxophonist in the house band at the legendary Howard Theater. Like Flack, Knight’s career has been remarkable. He started Clarence K. Knight Productions, a music contracting company, and served as a backup musician for artists including Flack, Jackie Wilson, Lou Raws, Lena Horne, Billy Eckstine, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Whiteny Houston, Smokey Robinson, and a host of others. He also started the first organized band at Bowie State University, where he served as a faculty member for thirty years, and launched community education programs throughout Washington, D.C. His Clarence Knight Orchestra has performed for five inaugural balls and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’ Phoenix Awards Dinner, its premier annual event.

Knight helped Flack land a job as a high school choir director in his hometown of Farmville, North Carolina. Later, as their careers blossomed, he played in the band backing up Flack and Donny Hathaway at a performance at the Carter Barron and later backed up Flack during a performance at the Capital Center in Landover. He remembers her fondly, including her role in helping him academically.

“She was very bright, very smart, and very talented,” said Knight. “She had a beautiful voice.” “We did a lot of studying together, especially in the theater area because that was one of my weak suits and one of her strong suits.  We spent a lot of time together, talking about theater.” 

Roberta Flack’s legacy is woven into the fabric of music history, social activism, and Howard University. Her timeless songs continue to offer profound insight into our lives, loves, culture, and politics, ensuring that her spirit and influence will resonate for generations to come.

According to Eichelberger, Flack’s impact is timeless. Since Flack’s death, she has spent time reflecting on her last visit to Howard and how inspired students as young as 17 were in Flack’s presence. 

She wasn’t a part of the current generation, but still they hear her music,” Eichelberger said. “And that is even more important because it means that it crossed over the timeline. It doesn’t have an endpoint.”