The National Portrait Gallery honored Michelle Howard on January 1, 2022.
On January 1, 2022, the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., honored Admiral Michelle J. Howard by including her portrait in its prestigious collection. The gallery recognized her as a historic figure in the U.S. Navy, highlighting her achievements as the first African American woman to command a U.S. Navy ship and her strategic role in the 2009 Somali pirate hostage-rescue mission. This acknowledgment signifies Howard's profound impact on naval history and her role as a trailblazer for women and minorities in the military.