Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser booed at Howard University commencement

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser wasn’t well-received in her recent appearance at Howard University on Saturday. Bowser was announced by the institution to headline spring commencement and receive an honorary degree. A statement by Howard University in April cited her work in public service as the reason she was granted an honorary degree.

But, Howard University student protestors organized a protest against Bowser during her appearance and laid out the reasoning behind their decision. The full list of resoning and details of the plans to protest are below.

“We, the students, reject Mayor Bowser as our 2026 Commencement Speaker!

Why?

1. Mayor Bowser instated the youth curfew zones that led to an increase in police and feds harassing students around D.C.
2. Bowser has taken AIPAC (American-Israel Public Affairs Committee) money, gone on lobbying trips to Israel, and consistently positioned herself as a friend to the genocidal Israeli war machine
3. Bowser has also been critiqued heavily by D.C. residents for not standing up to the Trump administration. She allowed the federal takeover of the District without any resistance.

Bottom line, Mayor Bowser does not represent a future we as Howard students want.

Reject Bowser speaking at 2026 Commencement!

Ways to Resist:
High Risk – Walk out of commencement during Bowser’s speech
Medium Risk – Heckle/Yell from the crowd when Bowser is speaking
Low Risk – Turn your back to Bowser as she’s speaking”

The protest by Murial Bowser, a Howard University student, follows South Carolina State’s successful protest of Lt. Governor Pamela Evette’s appearance at the institution’s Spring commencement. Morehouse School of Medicine students are also protesting the appearance of Councilman Rich McCormick at the institution’s commencement.

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