Former U.S. Vice President and Howard University alumna Kamala Harris took to her social media on Tuesday to pay tribute to Roberta Flack. Flack passed away at the age of 88, per a report by the AP on Monday.
Harris shared a picture of her with Flack and said on her X account, “Roberta Flack was a dynamic woman and a remarkable artist. She was a Howard alum, pianist, school teacher, Grammy record-setter, and a musician I loved throughout my life. Doug and I send our prayers to Roberta’s loved ones and all those who have been touched by her artistry.”
Roberta Flack created a lasting HBCU legacy during her time at Howard University. Born in Black Mountain, North Carolina, in 1937, Flack demonstrated exceptional musical talent from a young age. At just 15, she was awarded a music scholarship to Howard University, a remarkable feat that made her one of the youngest students in the institution’s history.
Per comments in a 2010 feature done on Flack by NBC Washington, Flack learned to play piano before even learning how to read. Her skills helped her as she gained admission into one of the most prestigious universities in the country. She began her studies as a piano major but later shifted her focus to voice, eventually becoming an assistant conductor for the university choir, where her talents continued to shine. Her leadership and direction of a production of Aida earned a standing ovation from the Howard University faculty.
Within a year, she was conducting the Delta Sigma Theta vocal quartet, accompanying pop, jazz, and opera singers, and assisting the university’s choir conductor. During this time, she officially changed her major from piano to voice. To make extra money, she taught private piano lessons and played the organ at her parent’s church, taking over a role previously held by her mother, per a feature on her life by PBS. Before graduating, she changed her major again to music education as she moved to start her teaching journey.
After graduating from Howard University at just 19, she began graduate studies in music. However, her father’s sudden death forced her to leave school and take a teaching job to support herself. She taught music and English in Farmville, North Carolina, continuing her teaching career, and also gained experience as a student teacher at a school near Chevy Chase, Maryland.
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