Scribes by Jordan Henry

This week Dr. Benjamin discussed the eloquence of the Scribes and the history of Howard University.  She said the scribe was a well respected and broad profession in the Egyptian culture.  Scribes were responsible for keeping records and they wrote papyrus rolls in a system called Cuneiform.    There were many professions in the scribe field like doctors or teachers, but the most esteemed career was that of the Royal Scribe.  Dr. Benjamin went on explaining that the legacy of the scribe has been passed on in generations and she discussed the scribes that existed all throughout Howard University’s history.

            Dr. Benjamin mentioned many individuals who are responsible for the legacy that exist at Howard University. Howard is named after General Oliver Otis Howard and he created the institution for colored ministers, who were later referred as the Howard University Scribes.  Mordecai Wyatt Johnson was the first African American president of the university and at the end of his career; Howard had ten schools of study that were naturally respected.  Inabel Burns Lindsay was the first dean of Howard’s school of social work and she remained the only African American female in Washington D.C. to maintain the level of respect as an educator in her time.  Howard’s founder library was named after Albert L. Cassel in 1938 and Jesse Moorland donated three thousand books to the university as well.  Locke Hall is known to be the epicenter of the Arts and Sciences and it was named after Alain Locke.  Alain Locke promoted many African American writers and poets.  Zora Neale Hurston was the founder of Howard’s newspaper the Hilltop and she also invested much of her time in the school of Fine Arts.  Dr. Benjamin also discussed the names of the resident halls as well.  The quad is named after Harriet Tubman who was a main leader in the underground rail road.  The Annex is named after the great activist Mary McLeod Bethune and Carver hall is named after the great George Washington Carver who was responsible for many important aspects in agriculture.  The list of Howard’s famous scribes goes on and Dr. Benjamin insisted that it is up to us to continue the Legacy of Howard University.