Queen Latifah To Receive Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Medal For Her Contributions To Black Culture

Multi-media star Queen Latifah will be receiving Havard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Medal for her numerous contributions to the Black community’s history, culture, and community.

Latifah is a singer, songwriter, actress, and more. Her resume is also decorated with many awards, including a Grammy, Emmy, and a Golden Globe. Latifah was also the first Hip Hop artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, according to CNN. The icon, whose real name is Dana Owens, wrote “Ladies First: Revelations of a Strong Woman” and hosted her talk show, “The Queen Latifah Show,” for almost four years.

The award is named after civil rights activist and scholar William Edward Burghardt (W.E.B.) Du Bois, who was the first Black student to earn a doctorate from Harvard in 1895. Latifah is one of seven honorees who will be recognized, and she now joins #MuhammadAli, #MayaAngelou, #DaveChappelle, Octavia Hudson and Nasir “Nas” Jones. The medal is Harvard’s highest honor in the field of African and African American studies. According to the Hutchins Center, it is “awarded to individuals in the United States and across the globe in recognition.”

Latifah, Elizabeth Alexander, Lonnie Bunch III, Rita Dove, Sheila C. Johnson, Kerry James Marshall, and Robert F. Smith will receive the award on Tuesday, CNN reports.