Harvard History & Traditions

Stories that explore the institution’s rich history, from archival moments to evolving traditions.

Alan Garber speaking at a podium in Memorial Church, with wooden panels in the background.

In Sermon, Garber Urges Harvard Community to ‘Defend and Protect’ Institutions

Harvard’s president uses traditional Memorial Church address to encourage divergent views.

by Jonathan Shaw

Historic portrait of Henry Clarke Warren

Henry Clarke Warren

Brief life of a Harvard-educated Buddhist scholar: 1854-1899

by David Gauld

Bob Odenkirk and Jennifer Coolidge

Bob Odenkirk and Jennifer Coolidge Are Hasty Pudding’S Man and Woman of the Year

The honorees will visit Cambridge next week for a parade, a show, and a (loving) roast.

by Nancy Walecki

Illustration of Cambridge in deep snow, not cleaned up

Headlines From Harvard’S History

Headlines from Harvard’s history

Henry Rosovsky

Farewell

Remembering Henry Rosovsky

Fernando Zóbel-Montojo

Brief life of an abstract painter: 1924-1984

by Felipe Pereda

Elif Batuman

The “Harvard Novel” Enters the Twenty-First Century

On Elif Batuman’s fictions

by Beth Blum

Cover of Chinese edition of book, Harvard A to Z

Bookish

Course catalog redux, a Chinese take on Harvard “glitz and glamour,” and the mathmetician-movie buff

by Primus VI

Official portrait of Lawrence H. Summers

Portraying Larry Summers

Celebrating the twenty-seventh president—and assessing his legacy

by John S. Rosenberg

Humorous illustration of campus police seeing late-night daters’ final kiss

Headlines From Harvard’S History

Headlines from Harvard’s history

George Reisner, 1924

George Reisner

Brief life of a pioneering Egyptologist: 1867-1942

by Peter Der Manuelian