As the first black student government president elected at Duke, Reggie Howard worked for social change. But those who knew him said he was first and foremost a people person.
"Reggie was an incredibly outgoing, incredibly warm person," Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology Charlie Piot said of the student leader who died before he took office. "He built relationships with everyone and was particularly interested in social justice, and this was a time all of those social justice issues were on the table."
Saturday night, a wide array of modern-day student leaders gathered in the wood-paneled halls of the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture to cap off a weeklong celebration of one of the University's first black student leaders. During the event, which was sponsored by the Reginaldo Howard Scholarship program, a plaque and portrait were presented in Howard's honor.
Twelve years after black students first stepped foot in the Gothic Wonderland in 1964, students elected Howard, an ambitious sophomore, to be the University's first black student government president.
But in a tragic twist of events, the campus standout died in a car accident the summer before he was to take office as president of the Associated Students of Duke University-the student government body that would eventually become Duke Student Government.
The event, part of the third annual Reginaldo Howard Memorial Commemoration Week, was designed to put a human face on the now-legendary Howard. In addition to Saturday night's ceremony, there was also a chapel service, a dinner conversation and a film screening
"People get lost sometimes in figureheads," said senior Brandon Hudson, co-president of the Reginaldo Howard Scholars. "It would do disservice to Reggie's legacy if we placed him on a pedestal, because he believed in people and their ability to make a change."
Event planners and participants stressed the importance of celebrating the 30th anniversary of Howard's death by understanding the leader's role in the broader context of University history.
In a panel discussion held prior to the unveiling of the plaque and portrait, other leaders told stories about their experiences as black students at the University.
Inside the Mary Lou Williams Center, pictures mounted as part of the week's memorial events outlined stories of black activism at the University through the years.
"It's not just black history," said Piot, faculty director of the scholarship program which bears Howard's name. "More importantly, everything that the black student movement has won here is Duke history, and Duke is a better place because of it."
Scholars said the events helped to promote the legacy of Howard on campus in addition to bridging different parts of the campus community.
"To establish leadership across ties, across racial boundaries, across different group interests," said senior Nick Shungu, co-president of the scholarship. "That's something that we, as 'Reggies,' are trying to do."
There are currently 26 Reginaldo Howard Scholars at the University.
Scholars such as sophomore Stephanie Amoako said it was inspiring to take a step back this week and recognize the importance of being innovative leaders.
"You understand that there is a legacy, that your condition here has improved because of people from past years. There's a connection there," said Troy Clair, Trinity '03, who served as Black Student Alliance President and DSG vice president for student affairs during his years at the University. "You understand that you're doing this for students to come."
In her speech Saturday night, Howard's sister, Tonya Howard Lee, noted that it was important to remember the compassion and charity that made Howard such a good leader and such a good role model for current scholars.
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