Queen Latifah to be honored by Harvard University for contributions to black culture
Black Girl Magic.
Queen Latifah is getting the recognition she rightfully deserves.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Latifah is being honored with the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal by Harvard University for her contributions to black history and culture. The award is named after Du Bois, a famous writer and civil rights activist, who was the first black student to earn a doctorate from Harvard, back in 1895.
According to the site, the award is given “to individuals in the United States and across the globe in recognition of their contributions to African and African American culture and the life of the mind.”
In addition to Latifah, other honorees include poet and educator Elizabeth Alexander, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution Lonnie Bunch III, poet Rita Dove, co-founder of Black Entertainment Television Sheila Johnson, artist Kerry James Marshall and Robert Smith, founder, chairman and chief executive of Vista Equity Partners.
On another note, Queen Latifah is set to star as an investigator in “When the Street Lights Go On.” The series will debut on Quibi next year. “When the Street Lights Go On” is set in a suburban town that’s rocked by the murder of a young girl. The victim’s sister and friends struggle to find a sense of normalcy while the investigation into the killing hangs over them,” The Hollywood Reporter reports.
Two months ago, Latifah announced that she will serve as the voice of Ursula in ABC’s live concert version of The Little Mermaid. “‘Fortunately I know a little magic.’ Excited to be a part of The Wonderful World of Disney Presents The Little Mermaid Live! #Ursula #TheLittleMermaid#TeamSeaWitch,” she wrote as her Instagram caption.
The Little Mermaid Live! is set to debut on Nov. 5. Congrats to Queen Latifah on her W.E.B. Du Bois Medal.