Tagged: Harvard University

H. Dele Davies Appointed Chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center

An expert in pediatric infectious diseases and community health, Dr. Davies has led the University of Nebraska Medical Center for the past two years. Effective July 1, he will officially become the university's ninth chancellor.

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

Fisk and Harvard Universities’ Glee Clubs Perform Together for the First Time

The Harvard Glee Club and the Fisk Jubilee Singers are two of the oldest collegiate choirs in the United States. This spring, the two groups joined together for the first time to participate in collaborative workshops and perform a joint concert in Nashville.

Caleb Gayle Wins Distinguished Book Prize in Great Plains Studies

The Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has honored Northeastern University's Caleb Gayle for his new book on Edward McCabe, a Black man who tried to establish a U.S. state governed by and for Black people.

Harvard Publishes Database of 1,613 People Enslaved by University Leaders

The Harvard Slavery Remembrance Program has released an updated database featuring the names, locations, and documented dates of 1,613 individuals enslaved by members of the university community, as well as the names of the university leaders who enslaved them.

The Racial Gap in Maternal Mortality Rates by Education Level

For Black women with a college degree, the maternal mortality rate in 2019 was 26.21 per 100,000 women. This was more than four times the rate for White women with a college degree.

In Memoriam: Castell Vaughn Bryant, 1938-2026

Dr. Bryant was a longtime administrator at several higher education institutions throughout the state of Florida. She was the first woman to serve as interim president of Florida Memorial University and Florida A&M University.

Terrence L. Johnson to Lead Emory University’s Candler School of Theology

Currently serving as the Charles G. Adams Professor of African American Religious Studies at Harvard Divinity School, Dr. Johnson is slated to become the next Mary Lee Hardin Willard Dean of the Candler School of Theology at Emory University on August 1.

In Memoriam: Carl Anthony, 1939-2026

As an undergraduate, Anthony attended Columbia University in New York City, where he was the only African American student enrolled in the Ivy League institution's architecture school. He went on to teach at the University of California, Berkeley.

Harvard University Honors Three-Time College President Ruth J. Simmons

Dr. Simmons has served as president of Smith College, Brown University, and Prairie View A&M University. When she was appointed president of Brown, she became the African American woman to lead an Ivy League school.

In Memoriam: Beverly Caffee Glenn, 1948-2025

In the 1990s, Dr. Glenn became the first woman to serve as dean of the School of Education at Howard University. During her career, she also held leadership positions at the National Education Association and George Washington University.

HBCU Attendance Linked to Improved Cognitive Health for Older Black Adults

At age 62, Black adults who had gone to an HBCU had better memory and cognitive function than their counterparts who attended a predominately White institution.

Three Black Scholars Appointed to New Academic Positions

Kara Yacoubou Djima of Wellesley College and Chanelle Wilson of Bryn Mawr College were both promoted to associate professor and granted tenure. Former Howard University President Ben Vinson III was named a fellow at the Afro-Latin American Research Institute in Harvard University's Hutchins Center for African & African American Research.

In Memoriam: Asmarom Legesse, 1931-2026

Dr. Legesse taught anthropology and Black studies at Swarthmore College for over two decades. Throughout his career, he conducted extensive research in Eritrea and advocated for the campaign against South Africa's apartheid system.

In Memoriam: Gloria Jean Wade-Gayles, 1937-2026

Dr. Wade-Gayles taught English and women's studies at Spelman College in Atlanta for over four decades. Her scholarship centered on African American women's literature.

How Racial Representation Impacts African Americans’ Trust in Scientific Institutions

For decades, research has documented African Americans' lower levels of trust in scientific institutions compared to Americans of other racial groups. According to a new study, this may be largely due to the persistent lack of racial diversity in the STEM workforce.

Four African Americans Appointed to New Administrative Roles in Higher Education

The appointments are Anthony Campbell at Harvard University, Julie James at Tennessee State University, Charlotte Barns at Delaware State University, and Chantell Link at Lone Star College in Texas.

Edray Goins to Lead the Mathematical Association of America

A full professor of mathematics and statistics at Pomona College in California, Dr. Goins is slated to become the Mathematical Association of America's first Black president in its 110-year history.

The 2025 Recipients of Harvard’s W. E. B. Du Bois Medal

The W. E. B. Du Bois Medal is presented annually by Harvard University's Hutchins Center for African & African American Research in recognition of individuals who have made outstanding contributions to African and African American culture.

Ivy League Study Uncovers Racial Disparities in Premature Mortality

A team of scholars from Brown University and Harvard University has found premature deaths—those occurring before age 65—have steadily increased in the United States in recent years, particularly among Black Americans.

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