Headlines from Harvard’s history

Headlines from Harvard’s history

Cartoon of a submerged submarine with a cut-out view of the interior, where crew members are taking a Harvard course via video recording.

Illustration by Mark Steele

1935

Director of athletics William J. Bingham states in the Crimson that if the German government persists in its policy of excluding Jewish athletes from the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Harvard will not be represented on the American team.

1950

The newly opened, $3-million Graduate Center, designed by Walter Gropius and The Architects Collaborative, houses 575 students in seven new dorms and can feed 1,200 students per meal in the new Harkness Commons.

1960

Crew members of the Polaris-missile-armed submarine USS George Washington become the first students allowed to take a Harvard extension course outside the Boston area. Crane Brinton’s lectures for “The Anatomy of Revolution,” one of the first extension courses given for television credit, have been recorded for undersea viewing; once back in port, students will have class sessions with a teaching fellow before the final exam.

1970

 A powerful bomb explodes early in the morning inside the Center for International Affairs, causing property damage but no injuries. More than 20 bomb scares in University buildings had been recorded in the previous 13 months, but no bombing had occurred at Harvard since rebellious students set off an explosion at morning chapel in 1834.

1990

A Women’s Center for undergraduates opens in Radcliffe Yard with the help of a grant from Harvard. Radcliffe president Linda Wilson stresses that the new center must be welcoming to both men and women and “an intergenerational and interdisciplinary gathering place.”

2000

An “extremely modest” notice in the September 24 New York Times announces an opening for “President, Harvard University.” Applicants should be persons of “high intellectual distinction and demonstrated leadership qualities.”

The Law School’s first Celebration of Black Alumni draws some 600 of the more than 1,500 graduates invited. The weekend witnesses the conferral of the first Harvard Law School Medal of Freedom on 12 surviving members or relatives of the Brown v. Board of Education litigation team.

You might also like

250 Years Ago, Harvard Was Home to a Revolution

A look at the sights, sounds, and characters that put the University on the frontlines of history

When the Revolution Hit Cambridge, Harvard Moved to Concord

College students broke hearts and windows during their year in exile.

The Costly Choice Native Americans Faced

How the Revolution reshaped indigenous New England

Most popular

Harvard Graduate Student Workers Strike

Union demands higher pay, protections for non-citizen members, and changes to the harassment complaint process.

Harvard’s Class of 2029 Reflects Shifts in Racial Makeup After Affirmative Action Ends

International students continue to enroll amid political uncertainty; mandatory SATs lead to a drop in applications.

Explore More From Current Issue

Historical battle scene with soldiers in red and blue uniforms, flags waving, chaotic action.

The Harvard-Trained Doctor Who Urged a Revolution

Before his heroic death, General Joseph Warren was dubbed “the greatest incendiary in all of America.”

Historical scene depicting a parade with soldiers and a town square in the background.

When the Revolution Hit Cambridge, Harvard Moved to Concord

College students broke hearts and windows during their year in exile.

Illustration of two students in Harvard hoodies, one speaking animatedly to a phone, the other reading, looking annoyed.

We’re All Harvard Influencers, Like It or Not

In the digital age, it’s hard to avoid playing into the mythology.