The Yard (Upper Quad)

The heart and soul of Howard are its people, including the fifteen thousand students, faculty, and employees who live, study, and work there and call it home. Every traditional home has a front yard and a backyard where people gather to engage with each other, have serious conversations, or just relax. And just as that home has its “yard,” so too does Howard. The Yard has been the venue for scores of Howard University Commencements and other ceremonies, serving as the backdrop for speeches from multiple U.S. presidents and other luminaries. Each year, thousands of Howard alumni and their families return to the Yard to celebrate homecoming. The Yard is also the heart of Greek life at Howard University, where many of the trees are painted with Greek letters in tribute to trailblazing Black fraternities and sororities. The Yard is dominated in the south by Founders Library. Adjacent to the library, Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel has been graced by some of the most distinguished orators in the world. The Yard is anchored on the north side by Lulu Vere Childers Hall, named after the founder of the university’s School of Music and its musical director for 37 years. Buttressing the Yard on the west side is Frederick Douglass Memorial Hall, built in 1935 and honoring the legacy of the 19th-century abolitionist and intellectual. Other buildings butressing The Yard include Alain Locke Hall, Carnegie Library, and Blackburn Center. Artwork prominently featured on The Yard include the "A Bridge Across and Beyond" sculpture and the Symbiosis Statue. Read more about The Yard.