Classics at Howard University

The Classics Program at Howard originated with a group of African-American intellectuals who met regularly for the reading of Greek and Latin texts and thus was the precursor of the University which was formally chartered by Congress in 1867.

Students in the department today enjoy an up-to-date curriculum taught by eight faculty, a student lounge and library, and a chapter of Eta Sigma Phi, the Classics Honor Society, sponsoring events such as a college-wide Iliad marathon that was the subject of a feature article in The Washington Post. Recent graduates have distinguished themselves at graduate and professional schools such as Oxford, Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Duke, and elsewhere. Alumni profiles

Together with those who plan on graduate studies in Classics, today's group of Classics majors includes not only premed and prelaw students, but also those intent on studying international affairs, chemistry, Biology, Physics, history, philosophy, and art -- indeed almost every imaginable discipline-- all linked by their belief in the worth of a classical education as the foundation for a wide range of careers and for an examined life.

Learn More About Historical African-Americans in Classics like William Sanders Scarborough