March 1, 2002 News from the HAA From The March-April 2002 Issue Published in the March-April 2002 print issue in the Alumni section. Most popular How the American Revolution Freed a Future Abolitionist Darby Vassall, an enslaved child freed after the Battle of Bunker Hill, dedicated his life to fighting for liberty. Michael Sandel’s “The Tyranny of Merit” reviewed by Spencer Lenfield Michael Sandel makes the case against meritocracy. America’s National Parks Are a $56 Billion Economic Engine Harvard’s Linda Bilmes on measuring the economic value of public lands Explore More From Current Issue University News Scoundrels, Then and Now On con men, Mark Twain, and the powers of the Harvard name Harvard Celebrates America’s 250th The Costly Choice Native Americans Faced How the Revolution reshaped indigenous New England Commencement Commencement Week Events Harvard Commencement Events 2026