WASHINGTON — A historic celebration is expected to draw in historic crowds as Howard University celebrates their 100th homecoming weekend.
The centennial homecoming themed "Yard of Fame" spotlights the leaders and trendsetters who walked the campus before the university gained international notoriety, and a celebration of the Bison who will blaze trails in the future.
Howard University senior Rachel Shields could potentially be one of those future trailblazers.
"I love being here, and it's an honor to be part of the 100th year homecoming," she said.
For Lisa Martin, a 1989 Howard University grad, the weekend is about recognizing how far Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) have come.
"I learned in that hall, Douglas Hall, that I am who I decide I am, not who people decide who I am, and that's what Howard taught me," Martin said.
During Friday's Yard Fest, people were seen wearing pins and clothing with Vice President Kamala Harris' name and face. The Democratic presidential candidate graduated from Howard in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Harris and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz have been visiting HBCUs in an attempt to garner the young Black vote in critical states for the election.
Friday afternoon, Harris' participation in the Howard Homecoming was not made public, but law enforcement officials told WUSA9 they were prepared for all high-profile visits.
"Her possibly being the first, Black woman to be president, and me being a Black woman that's just so amazing," senior Leila Smith said. "If she came here, I would lose my mind."
Howard University Police Chief Marcus Lyles says they started working on the security plan for this weekend in November 2023.
"We planned for this for a very long time," Lyles said. "We coordinated with local and federal partners to make sure we provided a safe environment."
Lyles urged attendees to report any suspicious activities during the weekend as they prepare for the tens of thousands of people.
"They can expect crowd control officers as well as law enforcement officers within the crowd," the chief said. "We have AED officers as well where we will be able to respond quickly if there is a medical issue."
A full list of Howard University's sponsored activities can be found on their website.
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