William O. Taylor

Return to main article:

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

Related topics

You might also like

Plus, veteran higher education leader Thomas Ehrlich reflects on university curricula for his 70th reunion

TKTKTKT Bunny Love Questionnaire

Tell us a story about the unique relationships between the animals in your life.

Making Waves with Philosophy

A conversation with Harvard professor Michael Sandel

Most popular

All That’s Unseen charts the Harvard graduate’s uneasy journey from Appalachia to Cambridge and back.  

A new federal rule sparks uncertainty for graduate students.

Harvard Weathers a Year of Turmoil

The federal government has launched unprecedented actions against the University. Here’s a guide.

Explore More From Current Issue

A football player in a white jersey evades a defender in a green uniform on the field.

Despite personnel losses, Crimson captain Xaviah Bascon is upbeat about the 2026 season.

A flooded office scene with computers, a woman working, and a pink sunset backdrop.

A College student’s attempt to recapture the romanticism of the workplace.

Three young women posed side by side against red background.

The 2026-2027 Ledecky and Summer Undergraduate Fellows