Present Memories

During the class of 1972’s thirty-fifth reunion in June, about 80 people showed up for a talk and animated discussion spurred by this...



During the class of 1972’s thirty-fifth reunion in June, about 80 people showed up for a talk and animated discussion spurred by this April 1969 photograph of students gathered on the steps of University Hall. Daniel Gensler ’72, one of those pictured, had invited classmates and others in the image to consider getting together to reminisce; he reports: “I asked if there was interest in people identifying themselves or posing for another photo, but that went nowhere after someone joked about ‘a man going around taking names,’ a line from a song from the ’60s that referred to the political paranoia then. [But the original picture] helped to bring back and enliven all those memories, and their relevance.”

Most popular

Harvard Faculty Group Proposes Limits on A Grades

The grade inflation measure requires a full faculty vote, expected in the spring.

Forrest Gander and Theda Skocpol at Phi Beta Kappa Exercises

Both poet and orator consider the “fundamental threats” facing graduates as Commencement begins.

Martin Nowak Sanctioned for Jeffrey Epstein Involvement

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences announces disciplinary actions.

Explore More From Current Issue

Two bare-knuckle boxers fight in a ring, surrounded by onlookers in 19th-century attire.

England’s First Sports Megastar

A collection of illustrations capture a boxer’s triumphant moment. 

An image depicting high carb ultra processed foods, those which are often associated with health risks

Is Ultraprocessed Food Really That Bad?

A Harvard professor challenges conventional wisdom. 

Anne Neal Petri in a navy suit leans on a wooden chair against an exterior wall of Mount Vernon..

Mount Vernon, Historic Preservation, and American Politics

Anne Neal Petri promotes George Washington and historic literacy.