Race
‘A Joke’: Nikole Hannah-Jones Says Harvard Should Spend More on Legacy of Slavery Initiative
Nikole Hannah-Jones, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and creator of the 1619 Project, slammed Harvard’s $100 million commitment to its Legacy of Slavery initiative as “a joke” during her keynote talk at a University symposium on Tuesday evening.
‘Mourning into a Movement’: Family Members of George Floyd, Eric Garner Discuss Grief and Activism at IOP Forum
Family members of George Floyd and Eric Garner, who were killed by police, spoke about grief, loss, and activism at a Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics event on Thursday evening.
Hoekstra Addresses Plagiarism Allegations Against Black Harvard Scholars, Condemns Attacks on Identity
Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra “unequivocally” condemned “attacks targeting a person’s identity” in a Wednesday interview.
Amid Ongoing Dean Search, Harvard Kennedy School Affiliates Say Diverse Faculty Should Be Top Priority
As the Harvard Kennedy School searches for its next dean, some affiliates believe increasing gender, racial, and international representation among faculty should be a top priority for the school’s next leader.
Habiba Braimah Appointed as Senior Director of Harvard Foundation
Habiba T. Braimah began her tenure as the new senior director of the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations late last month and will oversee the 38th annual Cultural Rhythms festival that kicks off Monday.
HKS Professors Discuss Academic Freedom, Issues Facing Black Americans at IOP
Three Harvard Kennedy School professors discussed issues affecting Black Americans and attacks on academic freedom at an Institute of Politics forum on Thursday.
Black Alumni Group Demands Harvard Reaffirm Support for DEI Efforts in Letter to Garber
A group of Black Harvard alumni demanded that the University clarify and reaffirm its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives on campus in a letter to interim President Alan M. Garber ’76 and Harvard’s governing boards.
‘Purely About Celebration’: Undergraduates Commemorate Black History Month
Harvard College students are celebrating Black History Month with a series of events thrown by undergraduate houses and affinity groups.
One Month Later, Black Harvard Affiliates Reflect on Gay’s Resignation
Nearly one month after the resignation of former President Claudine Gay, Black Harvard affiliates said they were disappointed but not surprised at her decision to step down on Jan. 2.
Ten Stories That Shaped 2023
In 2023, Harvard had a tumultuous year. Claudine Gay’s first semester ended amid a leadership crisis as she came under fire for her response to tensions on a campus divided by the Israel-Hamas war and faced allegations of plagiarism. Harvard’s legacy and donor preferences in admissions also faced national scrutiny following the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling striking down the University’s affirmative action policy. Across campus, scandal after scandal hit parts of the University. Here, The Crimson looks back at the 10 stories that shaped 2023 at Harvard.
‘Politically Motivated’: Experts Weigh in on Harvard Decision to Not Report Racial Composition of Early Action Admits
Harvard did not report the racial and ethnic composition of students admitted in the early application cycle for the Class of 2028, a move seen by experts as an attempt by the University to avoid potential litigation from anti-affirmative action groups.
Harvard School of Dental Medicine Affiliates Discuss Disparities in Oral Health Care at Webinar
Experts in oral health policy from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine discussed barriers to equitable health care in a webinar hosted by the Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning Wednesday evening.
Panelists Discuss Future of Black Land Ownership in the U.S. at Harvard IOP Forum
Panelists discussed the ongoing challenges and goals of Black land ownership in the United States at a forum co-hosted by the Harvard Institute of Politics and the Institutional Antiracism and Accountability Project Wednesday evening.
HKS Reports More Than 50 Percent Drop in Black and African American Students Since 2021
The Harvard Kennedy School saw a more than 50 percent drop in enrolled students identifying as Black or African American in 2023 as compared to 2021, according to an annual diversity report released by the school Tuesday morning.
Harvard Education Press Authors Talk Campus Strategies for Diversity Post-Affirmative Action
Four higher education experts discussed during an online event last Thursday how colleges and universities should reform their admissions processes to maintain a diverse student body, including ending athlete preferences.
Indigenous Speakers Demand Harvard Return Human Remains at Radcliffe Conference
Speakers criticized Harvard for continuing to hold the human remains of thousands of Native Americans in its museum collections at a conference hosted by the Harvard University Native American Program and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study last week.
Hundreds of Harvard Protesters Stage ‘Die-In’ to Demand End to Violence Following Gaza Hospital Blast
Hundreds of Harvard students and affiliates marched to Harvard Business School and staged a “die-in” Wednesday afternoon to demand an end to violence in Gaza and express solidarity with Palestine following the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital blast.
Harvard Asian American Alums Talk Affirmative Action, AAPI Leadership at Summit
Hundreds of alumni returned to campus to join students and faculty in discussing issues facing Asian Americans during the fourth Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance Global Summit.
Civil Rights Scholar Sherrilyn Ifill Discusses End of Affirmative Action at Harvard Radcliffe Event
Civil rights lawyer and scholar Sherrilyn Ifill and Harvard Radcliffe Institute Dean Tomiko Brown-Nagin discussed the Supreme Court’s decision to effectively strike down affirmative action at a Wednesday talk at the Knafel Center.
AI Model Based on Harvard President Gay Allegedly Included Instructions Invoking Racist Stereotypes
ClaudineGPT, a generative artificial intelligence language model based on University President Claudine Gay, used instructions invoking racist stereotypes, the AI Safety Student Team alleged in an email to the model’s creators.
Former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao Calls for National Asian American Museum at Harvard IOP Forum
Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao called for a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture during an Institute of Politics forum Tuesday, arguing that such a museum would help combat the rise in anti-Asian hate.
Harvard Celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day with Rap, Dance, and Arepas
Harvard affiliates and attendees celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day in front of Matthews Hall, decorated with dozens of colorful, hand-crafted signs calling for Indigenous pride and an end to injustice towards Indigenous populations.
Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch ’81 Calls for ‘Infinite Hope’ at Second Annual MLK Lecture
Former Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch ’81 urged audience members to “never lose infinite hope” despite challenges facing America in her keynote speech for the second annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Lecture in Sanders Theatre Wednesday evening.
Black Students Form AFRO, ‘Resistance Organization’ to Unite Activism Across Harvard
A group of Black students early this semester formed the African and African American Resistance Organization, a dedicated space for activism around issues relevant to Black students across the University.
In Cambridge, Black and Latinx Borrowers Face Higher Mortgage Loan Denial Rates, June Report Reveals
Black and Latinx borrowers faced significantly higher mortgage lending denial rates in Cambridge and in Massachusetts broadly in 2021, according to a June 2023 report.