Commentary | June 16, 2011

William O. Taylor

From The July-August 2011 Issue

Return to main article:

Letters from readers

We note with sadness the death on May 1, at home in Boston, of William O. Taylor ’54, chairman emeritus of the Boston Globe, where he had served with distinction as publisher. Among his many other pro bono activities, Bill was a member of the Harvard Magazine Incorporated board of directors from 1995 to 2001 (much of that time alongside his classmate, Daniel Steiner ’54, LL.B. ’58)—a critical period when the forces now transforming publishing and the media took form and accelerated. His early insights into these changes regularly informed the magazine’s evolving responses. Even after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2009, Bill remained a magazine incorporator and an informal counselor—roles that we especially remember and value. The Editors

Published in the July-August 2011 print issue in the Letters section.

Related topics

You might also like

A man in a dark suit sits at a table in an elegant room with historical decor.

Making Waves with Philosophy

A conversation with Harvard professor Michael Sandel

A jubilant graduate shouts into a megaphone, surrounded by a cheering crowd.

For Campus Speech, Civility is a Cultural Practice

A former Harvard College dean reviews Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber’s book Terms of Respect.

Skyline view of Harvard University with trees in autumn colors and a river under a cloudy sky.

Your Views on Conservatism on Campus, Doxxing, and More

Readers write in about international students at Harvard, the September-October cover, and changes at the Chan School of Public Health.

Most popular

A blue refrigerator covered with animal pictures, notes, and drawings, surrounded by greenery.

An animal’s journey from grief to love shows how much humans need each other, too.

Star-filled night sky with the Milky Way arching over a rocky silhouette.

There’s a growing movement to curb light pollution. It starts on your front porch.

Three smiling individuals in business attire, standing outdoors with greenery in the background.

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

Two undergraduates and a Ph.D. candidate will address the graduating class on May 28.

Explore More From Current Issue

Massachusetts Hall at Harvard Red brick building with a large clock on top, surrounded by green trees.

University News

With a grade inflation vote and in the courts, the University argued that it’s taking steps to change.

An open book with a film strip emerging, trailing popcorn and a dancer silhouette.

Letters to the Editor

Readers Respond to Our Adaptations Survey

We asked people to share their favorite art adaptations. Here’s what they said.

Black and white photo of Joseph Murray in a white lab coat sitting in an office.

Nobel Prize recipient Joseph E. Murray dedicated much of his career to organ transplant surgery.