The Honor of Claudine Gay

By W. F. Twyman, Jr. Class of 1986 Harvard Law School

On September 28, 2024, the Harvard Black Alumni Society awarded former Harvard President Claudine Gay a “leadership and Courage” award.

As I sit in my mountain cabin tonight, I must ask myself what “leadership”?

Gay showed no leadership before Congress when she said calling for the genocide of Jews depends “on the context.”

Gay showed no leadership as she downplayed and discounted almost 50 allegations of plagiarism. It is not leadership to say mistakes were made. Passive tense is not leadership.

Nor is it leadership for a Harvard President to have authored zero books. Nada. Nothing. Zero.

As for courage?

Is it courageous to not accept responsibility? Plagiarism is not a mistake. Plagiarism shows character, what one does when one thinks no one is looking. Is it courageous to slur defenders of the Harvard motto Veritas with the trope of racism?

Being black, female and named Gay does not create a force field against authentic and genuine criticism.

There is nothing Gay has done to merit an award for “Leadership and Courage.” Being the first Black female whatever in and of itself merits no accolades in the year 2024. One must earn respect and honor.

Where is the honor?