As a student, I have constantly reflected on how fortunate I am to have been to be able to attend an institution with so much rich tradition, history and legacy for the past four years. “The Long Walk” provided me with context to truly understand just how important Howard University is to the African American community during our long complex history in the United States of America. “The Long Walk” also allowed me to grasp the meaning of how much value our campus grounds hold.
As referenced in the documentary, “The long walk is an avenue to success. People look to the past, but we must pay attention to the success of our students today.” As a senior at Howard preparing to graduate within the next eight months, this statement stood out to me. As I reflected on this powerful documentary, I found meaning in understanding just how important it is to acknowledge the strides and progress that our ancestors and Howard University Alumni made, while also realizing that it is even more important to identify how their legacy lives on and is embodied in current students.
Howard University is a highly esteemed institution of higher education, and it is important for me to know that I am making not only my family, but my community proud. “The Long Walk” referred to what we call “The Mecca” as a “physical entity that brings people together”. I have never heard anything truer. Throughout my 21 years of life, I have never seen a physical place that brings people of so many different cultural, spiritual, and economic backgrounds together like Howard University. No matter if I am on the yard, in a grocery store, or at the airport, if I have on apparel that represents Howard University, I am constantly greeted and welcomed with open arms by perfect strangers simply because of our connection to Howard.
“The Long Walk” allowed me to take the time to really observe the architecture of our traditionally rich campus. This documentary pointed out the importance of the “great symbol of Howard University” which happens to be on our well-constructed gates surrounding the yard. As students, we often times forget to stop and pay attention to the details.
Throughout the documentary, it is emphasized that Howard has served as a catalyst of change for generations of Black people. It is said that, “many people were drawn to Howard University as a venue to where very important things were said and where important things were thought”. Since it was founded, Howard has been a change agent in the United States. To this day, people look to Howard and its students for ideas and answers in every professional industry. By watching “The Long Walk”, I learned that Howard University produces the most African American architects in the world.
Howard University has earned its place as a “place maker” not only in the United States, but in the world. The rich history of this university has allowed everyone to know that this is a place of extraordinary importance, a place of world status and a place where excellence goes far beyond the long walk to graduation day.
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