Howard University has conferred 99,318 degrees and certificates in its 137-year history. Noteworthy alumni are educators, politicians, United States ambassadors, writers, prominent international figures, corporate executives, and a Nobel Laureate.

Academia

• Charlene Drew Jarvis (Ph.D.), president Southeastern University
• Lois Pierre-Noel, educator
• Irvin Reid (Ph.D.), president Wayne State University
• H. Patrick Swygert, president Howard University

Law & Politics

• Dr.Percival Broderick, Deputy Prime Minister of Jamaica
• Hon.Edward Brooke, first African-American elected to the United States Senate
• Hon.Ewart Brown, Deputy Premier and Minister of Transport of Bermuda
• Hon.Roland Burris, State Attorney General, Illinois
• Hon.Elijah Cummings, United States Congress
• Hon.David Dinkins, first African-American mayor of New York City
• Hon.Mike Espy, first African-American United States Secretary of Agriculture
• Hon.Shirley Franklin, first female mayor of Atlanta, Georgia
• Dr.Oliver Harper, Minister of Health, Guyana
• Hon.Patricia Roberts Harris, United States Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, United States Ambassador
• Hon.Earl Hilliard, United States Congress
• Hon.John Junor, Minister of Health, Jamaica
• Hon.Sharon Pratt Kelly, first African-American female mayor of a major city, Washington, DC
• Hon.Keith Knight, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Jamaica
• Hon.Thurgood Marshall, first African-American United States Supreme Court justice
• Hon.Gabrielle McDonald, judge Iran-United States Claims Tribunal, The Hague, Netherlands
• Hon.M. Kasim Reid, United States Senate, Georgia
• Hon.Spottswood Robinson, judge, United States Circuit court
• Hon.Roy Schneider, Governor United States Virgin Islands
• Hon.Walter Washington
• Hon.Douglas Wilder, first African-American United States governor
• Hon.Harris Wofford, United States Congress
• Hon.Albert Wynn, first African-American elected to the United States Congress from Prince George's County and Montgomery County in Maryland
• Hon.Andrew Young, first African-American United Nations Ambassador and former mayor of Atlanta, Georgia

Arts & Music

• Ossie Davis, actor
• Lillian Evanti, Opera singer
• Phylicia Rashad, actress
• Debbie Allen, dancer, actress
• Puff Daddy