The exhibit and documents reflecting Yale’s ties to enslavement were displayed as a part of the Yale Slavery Research Project. The findings of the project were highlighted in a book, “Yale and Slavery: A History,”  written by history professor David W. Blight with the Yale Slavery Research Project. 

The book discusses Morse’s legacy, as a scientist, inventor and painter who vehemently opposed abolition, immigration and Catholicism. A graduate of Yale College in 1810, Morse published a book in 1863 that defended enslavement. 

The exhibit was arranged by Michael Morand ’87 DIV ’93, director of community engagement at the Beinecke, and Hope McGrath, lead researcher of the Yale and Slavery Research group and the Beinecke research coordinator for Yale, New Haven and Connecticut history.

“Actually seeing the physical evidence tells you something and convinces you of its reality and power in ways that can only be done when you’re with materials in the archives,” Morand said. 

Inspired by a discussion with Head of Morse College Catherine Panter-Brick and Assistant Director of Operations Alexa Martindale, the Beinecke compiled artifacts from Morse’s life to be viewed by community members. Morse College hosted an unveiling of the new book on Feb. 16. 

While this is the first event focused on residential college namesakes, other residential colleges are currently planning to hold future exhibitions discussing the legacies of their namesake’s history. 

Morand said that the exhibit places Morse in the context of his father, Jedidiah Morse, a man who is known for his contributions to American geography, and played a role in Yale and New Haven’s ties to slavery. The exhibit included a table chronicling the history of Yale’s ties to slavery and a separate table on Jedidah and Samuel Morse. The Morse part of the exhibit included maps drawn by Jedidah and writings and artistic pieces from Samuel’s life, including his writing in opposition to abolition that he published in 1863. 

McGrath said that the first part of the exhibit was intended to show the influence and role of enslaved people in Yale’s history. The exhibit began with the 1701 charter for the founding of Yale as the Collegiate School of Connecticut, and the table continued to illustrate growth in Black community building in New Haven through Black political resistance. 

The exhibit draws specific attention to the proposal for the first Black college in New Haven in 1831, a proposal that was shot down by the leadership of Yale and New Haven. 

Morand said that this exhibit is one aspect of the larger movement to confront Yale’s past truthfully. He said that Blight and the Yale Slavery Research Project’s published book is another aspect, along with new audio added to Yale walking tours and “Shining Light on Truth,” an exhibit at the New Haven Museum that features the essential history of enslaved and free Black people in New Haven’s history.

Martindale added that seeing these items in person “drives home” the history. Panter-Brick described the group experience of viewing and reading archival material surrounded by fellow community members as “shocking” and “sobering.” 

Panter-Brick also spoke about the importance of including New Haveners, not just students and Yale community members, in these conversations. 

“It’s a broader issue than what’s happened here on our grounds,” Martindale said. 

Martindale and Panter-Brick said that residential college leaders gathered a task force to brainstorm specific responses for their colleges following the book’s release in February. This led to Panter-Brick reaching out to Beinecke administrators about doing a curated exhibit. 

Morand said that he hopes the exhibit will serve as a jumping-off point for history, where learning about Morse is an “access point” into a larger story about Yale, New Haven, America and the world. 

“It’ll be truly a success if [attendees] go away, wanting to know more and thinking about how they can write the history and understand the history of themselves,” said Morand. 

Karim Najjar ’27, who is in Morse and visited the exhibit, told the News that it made him reflect the importance of understanding the meaning of Morse’s name. 

“Eating lunch under Morse’s name each day, I believe it is critically important to understand what the name has meant over time,” Najar wrote to the news. 

Ai-Li Hollander ’27, another student in Morse, said she appreciated the opportunity to learn about Yale’s history and gain collective community knowledge. 

On why he chose to attend the exhibit, Manav Singh ’25, who is in Morse, echoed the other Morse students in emphasizing the significance of knowing their college’s history.   

Panter-Brick added that while this was the first exhibit on Morse’s legacy, it will not be the last.

“It’s not the last session at all, I will very happily take another group of people, for example, first-year students next year … so they’re also grounded in that history,” said Panter-Brick. 

The Beinecke is hosting a session on “New Haven, Yale and Slavery in the Archives” with the Greater New Haven African American Historical Society on Sunday, March 17. 

The post Beinecke exhibit reflects on Samuel F. B. Morse’s legacy, Yale and slavery  appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Volunteers from the Yale community staffing the table provided opportunities to call, email and write to DeLauro and other members of Congress. It was held four days during the week of Jan. 29 and three days throughout the week of Feb. 4. Sahin said that over 100 people came by the table through the seven days it was in the Schwarzman Center. While affiliated with the organization Yalies4Palestine, the table was initiated and run independently from the group, per Sahin. 

“I do think a lot of people want to act and do something,” Sahin said “Sometimes, you just need to make it a little easier for them to be able to get over that threshold and actually take action.”

The table offered people who approached a script to call DeLauro’s offices in Washington D.C and New Haven. Sahin said that he based the script on statements from Jewish Voice for Peace’s website. He added that a letter students could sign and send to members of Congress was a modified version of the script for callers.

The script highlights four main demands: a total and permanent ceasefire, allowing humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, an end to Israel’s siege and a halt to the U.S. sending and funding weapons used by the Israeli military. 

DeLauro most recently released a statement on Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza on Dec. 21. In this statement, DeLauro emphasized that she stands with Israel in the wake of the “devastating terrorist attack” and supports the right of Israel to “defend itself and defeat Hamas.” 

In the statement, DeLauro also promoted her support of a two-state solution and her call for a “sustained pause in fighting.” She specified that this sustained pause would include an “immediate” increase in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas. 

In its Oct. 7 attack against Israel, Hamas killed 1,200 people and took over 240 people as hostages. Israel responded with a formal declaration of war against Hamas and a military offensive in Gaza. The Wall Street Journal reported on Feb. 15 that, according to Israel, Hamas still held more than 130 people hostage. Israeli attacks had killed at least 29,000 Palestinians in Gaza by Feb. 19, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. 

In an effort to free Hamas-held hostages, Israel launched airstrikes last Monday on Rafah, a city in the southern region of the Gaza Strip in which more than one million Palestinians have sought refuge from Israeli attacks. CNN reported on Feb. 19 that Israel plans to expand its military operation in Rafah if Hamas does not free hostages by the start of Ramadan. 

Sahin called it “disappointing” to see what he described as DeLauro’s lack of empathy toward Palestinian kids and families. 

“I’ve seen Rosa care and I would like to see her care for everybody, including Palestinians,” he said. 

When reached by the News for comment on Monday, DeLauro’s office referred the News to DeLauro’s press releases and her work supporting the United Relief and Works Agency for Palestinians. 

In addition to the December press release, DeLauro released a press statement on Oct. 19 on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, in which she voiced both her “unequivocal” support of Israel’s goal in defeating Hamas and her commitment to sending the Palestinian people the “humanitarian aid they need to survive.” DeLauro affirmed her positions in favor of peace, a two-state solution and removing Hamas from power in Gaza.  

There have been protests at Yale and around the country in support of a ceasefire, including one in New Haven on Feb. 7 that halted New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker’s annual State of the City address. 

Sahin said that the main purpose of the table was to make it easier for people to connect with DeLauro and push her to support a ceasefire. 

One staffer at the table, who requested anonymity due to safety concerns, spoke about how they hoped the table would help students reach DeLauro. 

“We are not okay with this; we want a ceasefire,” the staffer said, adding that they hope DeLauro’s support for a ceasefire would help encourage other Democrats to follow suit. 

The anonymous staffer said that seeing “horrific” images and stories on the conflict every day motivated them to volunteer at the table.

Chloe Miller LAW ’25, who volunteered at the table, said that the conflict shouldn’t feel like a distant or disconnected issue. 

Miller said that she thinks all Americans should be concerned, emphasizing the responsibility she thinks individuals have in calling for a ceasefire. 

“As students and as scholars, all of us have a responsibility to be informed and to confront what is happening and to then take action appropriately,” Miller said. 

With constant phone banking, Miller said she hopes it will lead DeLauro to support a ceasefire. 

Sahin and Miller both also emphasized the importance of grassroots activism and the effectiveness of phone banking, even if it is a two-minute call. 

“I want [Yalies] to know that campaigns can work,” Sahin said. “[DeLauro] can change her mind.” 

The anonymous staffer at the table noted that while it can be “easy” for Yale students to tell themselves that they’re busy and thus can disconnect from the world, student activism is vital in pushing for this change. 
Rosa DeLauro has been the U.S. representative for Connecticut’s third congressional district since 1991.

The post Students organize phone-banking campaign to advocate for ceasefire appeared first on Yale Daily News.

In February last year, the dinners took place on nine days spread across the month, with either one or two dining halls hosting a Black History Month menu on the same night. This year, Branford, Saybrook, Jonathan Edwards, Davenport and Pierson dining halls will host their dinners on Feb. 15; Silliman, Benjamin Franklin and Pauli Murray colleges will have theirs on Feb. 22; and Berkeley, Grace Hopper, Ezra Stiles/Morse and Trumbull will have their dinner on Feb. 29. Timothy Dwight College’s will occur on Feb. 28. 

“The act of reducing the dinners to only three days of the month, with no notice or garnering of student opinion or interest, [not only] only works to minimize the good food we get to eat, but also devalues and minimizes the culture and feelings of belonging of Black students and workers on campus,” Stephanie Owusu ’24 told the News. At the time of this quote, Timothy Dwight College had yet to move its Black History Month dinner. 

Timothy Dwight’s dinner was rescheduled due to an event conflict, meaning that the dinners were originally supposed to be spread across three days. 

Timeica E. Bethel ’11, dean of the Afro-American Cultural House, wrote to the News that students at the Af-Am House have been talking about and looking forward to the Black History Month dinners for months.

“While all 14 dining halls are still participating, the experience won’t be the same,” Bethel-Macaire wrote. “Last year, students were able to enjoy nine meals across the different dining halls that reflected the breadth of the Black diaspora; now, they have to choose between colleges and only get to enjoy three.”

The Black History Month dinners began in 2022, with Yale Hospitality collaborating with Black staff members to bring their personal recipes to the dining hall menus. The featured recipes showcased the foods from the Black diaspora and highlighted the identities of many Black team members. 

The change was made due to the meals’ popularity resulting in long lines and some colleges running out of food last year, according to Stacey Hepburn-James, senior director of residential dining. 

“Knowing how popular and well received these events are, we want to alleviate the bottleneck, and give all students ample time and venues to enjoy their meals which the teams worked so hard on,” Hepburn-James wrote to the News.

Hepburn-James also wrote that Yale Hospitality works with all heads of the residential colleges, assistant directors of operations and their dining teams to curate the Black History Month dinners.

Yet, four students expressed concern over the consolidation of Black History Month meals, emphasizing the benefits the dinners provide. 

A student worker with Yale Hospitality, who wished to remain anonymous due to employment concerns, told the News that they were “surprised” by the choice to reduce the number of nights with Black History Month meals. The student worker said that they were not officially informed of the choice by Yale Hospitality before the information was publicly available. 

Troi Slade ’26 told the News that the Black History Month dinners were one of the only meals that felt like home and found the change to be “disheartening.”  

“Although the dining hall food could never compare to home-cooked meals,” Slade told the News, “it was the closest thing to home in a culinary form that Yale had offered me.”

Owusu also emphasized the unique opportunities the meals provide for the Black community at Yale to celebrate their culinary tradition and for the broader Yale community to engage with food rooted in Black culture. 

“I think [the new schedule] reduces the opportunities for students to interact with Black history, especially students who may not have been exposed to certain cuisines before coming to Yale,” the student worker said. 

The student worker added that they hope there will be a restoration of the old schedule for next year’s Black History Month dinners as they said it featured more opportunities for students to engage with Black cuisine. 

Madeleine Keenan ’26 told the News that she felt the meals were a highlight of the University’s celebration of Black History Month and that she was “worried” that this year will not have the same experience of Black students coming together to one dining hall.

She also said a possible solution to the busy dining halls could have been increasing the amount of food or making the dining hall hours longer when they were hosting a Black History Month dinner.

Black History Month was federally recognized in 1976. 

The post Yale Hospitality cuts number of Black History Month dinners from nine to four nights appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Started by Eytan Israel ’26, the “Let’s talk about Israel” discussion table debuted the week before reading period in the fall semester. In the fall, students staffed the table on Cross Campus for four hours a day, Monday through Friday, until the beginning of reading period. 

So far, the table has returned twice – from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 31 and Tuesday, Feb. 6 – in the rotunda of Schwarzman Center, now in association with the organization Yale Friends of Israel after being unaffiliated in the fall. 

“Throughout all of this stress, the leaders of this table continue because we feel a duty. A duty to defend the only Jewish country in the world,” wrote Israel.

In the fall, the table saw roughly 20 people per day and it has seen 10 to 15 people per day during this spring semester, per Israel. Israel said that going forward, the table will hopefully meet once a week for the hours around lunchtime. 

Israel said that he thought of organizing the table amid campus tensions in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 surprise attack that Hamas launched against the state of Israel, after a conversation with a friend at the University of Pennsylvania who had created a similar dialogue table. 

In the Oct. 7 attack, Hamas killed 1,200 people. The state of Israel responded with a formal declaration of war against Hamas and a full-scale military assault in Gaza. As of Feb. 9, Israeli attacks have killed at least 27,800 Palestinians in Gaza.

There have been protests at Yale and around the country in support of Palestine, including one in New Haven on Feb. 7 that halted the mayor’s annual State of the City address to call for a ceasefire.  

Amid these tensions, Israel — the student — said that he felt there was little dialogue around these ideas on campus, adding that he felt students who wanted to partake in civil discourse had no place to do so. 

Ami Listokin ’27, a staffer at the table on Wednesday, said that a goal of the table was to “realize the humanness” of people on all sides of the issue. 

“A lot of this conversation on both sides sort of becomes people talking past one another,” Listokin said. 

For Israel, hearing phrases such as “resistance is justified if the land is occupied” from people he considered his peers and friends has felt like “legitimization of the murder of innocent Jews,” which Israel said “completely shocked and upset” him. 

He emphasized that the goal of the table isn’t to promote a certain viewpoint or change the ideologies of other Yale community members. Instead, the table strives to encourage the respectful exchange of ideas in conversations. 

“Civil discourse is under threat on this campus,” Abe Baker-Butler ’25, a staffer at the table, wrote to the News. “The point of this table is to move beyond slogans and assumptions and to empower people to think, discuss, and ask questions openly and with nuance and reason about Israel.”

According to Israel, people who approach the table have ranged from students with little background on the issue to those who are actively critical of the state of Israel or even opposed to its existence. 

Sabrina Zbar ’26, a student fielding questions at the table, said that she didn’t feel there was another space on campus where people could ask questions and discuss in a “face-to-face” manner. 

“We really want anyone to feel like they’re comfortable sitting and engaging with us,” said Zbar, adding that she feels the table is an opportunity for students to approach this conversation “on their own terms.” 

Israel said that within the group of students staffing, there are no requirements for their views on Israel or Zionism. 

“One of the important things that we’re trying to show here is that just because you have this label of believing in some sort of Jewish state doesn’t mean we all have the same opinion,” said Listokin. 

Israel himself defined Zionism as supporting the “rights and needs for Jews to have a homeland where they could be autonomous and have security in their historical land.”  

While the News was at the table on Feb. 6, two students sat down to talk who were interested in discussing the conflict as an open dialogue and understanding the religious context.

Israel recounted one conversation that he had at the table on that day, in which he said a Muslim student stopped by and shared that most of what they had been seeing on social media was anti-Israel and that they were curious to hear what pro-Israel students were thinking and feeling. 

The Schwarzman Center opened its doors on Sept. 1, 2021.

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The protest was organized by a group of Israeli Yale affiliates and New Haven residents who came together in January 2023 to hold protests in response to the controversial judicial overhaul led by Rothman, a prominent member of the Knesset — Israel’s parliament — who aimed to limit the power of the Israeli Supreme Court. 

These efforts headed by Rothman have led some of the protestors to call him indirectly responsible for Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, in which Hamas killed 1,200 people and took about 250 as hostages. Rothman ignored the advice of top Israeli military leaders — including the Israeli Defense minister and Israel’s Air Force Chief— when they warned government officials in the spring and summer of 2023 that controversial judicial legislation was leading to political instability that threatened military preparedness, per Reuters. 

“He is not welcome anywhere in Israel,” David Chetrit, an Israeli Associate Research Scientist at the School of Medicine and protestor, said. “He is not appreciated in Israel. He should not be welcome anywhere he goes.” 

According to Naftali Kaminski, a professor at the School of Medicine who was at the demonstration outside Shabtai, protestors chanted the Hebrew words “Busha,” meaning disgrace, “Ashem” which means guilty, “Fascist” and “Bring them all home,” referring to the Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas. 

At the event, Rothman placed blame for the Oct. 7 attacks on others and said the only way to solve the conflict is to “extinguish every last piece of hope that Palestinians have,” per Liam Hamama ’24, a British-Israeli who attended the event. 

Following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, Israel responded with a formal declaration of war against Hamas and a full-scale military assault on Gaza. As of Jan. 26, Israel’s attacks have killed at least 26,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials.

Hamama added that Rothman said Palestinians have engaged in terrorism because Israel has given them “too much hope” – an “extreme” assertion Hamama said contradicts all literature on the origins of terrorism.  

The event itself was not publicly advertised, and members of the New Haven Police Department stood outside. 

Reporters from the News were told the event was off the record, and attendees’ phones were collected as they entered. Per attendees who spoke to the News afterward, the event featured dinner, followed by a 40-minute speech by Rothman who then took questions from the audience. Some protestors were invited inside and posed questions to Rothman at the end of the event. 

The five protestors interviewed by the News noted Rothman’s role in the 2023 judicial reforms, his mishandling of the war with Hamas and his going abroad during wartime as motivations for the protest. 

Noam Savion Gaiger, an Israeli postdoctoral associate who was at the protest and the event, particularly expressed concern about Rothman’s dismissal of security warnings amid his push for judicial reform. 

“He received repeated warnings from senior figures in Israeli security. They cautioned that Rothman’s push for undemocratic legislation was creating division inside Israeli society and endangering Israel’s security,” Savion Gaiger wrote. 

Savion Gaiger said that Rothman chose to ignore these warnings and continue to advance his legislative agenda – a disregard that she claimed calls for “serious reevaluation of his responsibilities and actions.” 

Shmully Hecht wrote to the News that blaming Rothman for the Oct. 7 attacks would be equivalent to “blaming the Holocaust on a single German Jewish Banker in Berlin, or the 9/11 attacks on a Christian hedge fund manager in the World Trade Center.” 

Rothman did not respond to requests for comment.

Aaron Schorr ’24, who protested the event, added that the protest served to advocate for the safe return of Israeli hostages. Schorr said that members of the Israeli government, specifically Rothman, have not prioritized efforts to bring the hostages home.

On Jan. 27, the Associated Press reported that around 100 hostages have been freed, with around 130 still captive, while “a number” have since been confirmed dead. According to reporting by CNN on Jan. 18, the Israeli Defense Force said that they believe 27 of the hostages still being held captive by Hamas are dead. 

Savion Gaiger also noted that Rothman, as a prominent politician, should not unnecessarily leave his home country in times of crisis.

“As Israel faces a significant war, Rothman, a member of the Israeli parliament, is traveling internationally to drink cocktails with the American Jewish community instead of contributing to the war effort,” Savion Gaiger wrote.

The night following his appearance in New Haven, Rothman spoke at a Shabtai event in New York City which included cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, per the event’s invitation. 

Schorr echoed Savion Gaiger’s sentiments, adding that Rothman could have been paying his respects to the 21 Israeli soldiers who were recently killed while fighting in Gaza rather than speaking abroad at Shabtai. 

At the talk, Rothman, in addition to blaming the Oct. 7 attacks on other Israeli leaders, described Israel’s ongoing military action in Gaza as “miraculous,” with no mention of the loss of Palestinian lives, per Hamama.

In an Israel National News article on the event, Rothman is quoted as having said that Israel “must end the hopes for the establishment of a Palestinian state between the sea and the Jordan” in order to eradicate terrorism.

Joshua Li ’26, who said that he was not specifically familiar with Rothman or his policies before attending the event, told the News that he left the event with a better understanding of Rothman and the “radical” perspective within Israel.

Li said that he felt the event promoted discussion and supported the opportunity for attendees to pose questions directly to Rothman.

“I don’t think Shabtai should be ashamed of inviting the speaker because they allowed for completely free discourse regarding the speaker’s actions,” Li said. “They’re […] promoting an opportunity to see what a controversial figure has to say for himself in response to the Yale community’s overall view of him.”

Hamama, however, critiqued Shabtai’s choice to invite Rothman to speak, given that someone as extreme as him should be “completely ostracized from all civil discourse,” particularly at an institution like Yale. 

Hamama described Rothman as someone who’s “not only a racist, a Jewish supremacist, a messianic, and a religious fanatic,” but someone responsible for the Oct. 7 attack, given his persistent efforts towards the judicial overhaul, regardless of military-preparedness concerns raised by top generals and the defense minister.

On behalf of Shabtai, director Toby Hecht wrote to the News that Shabtai is “the sole sacred space in the Ivy League where honest conversation flourishes in an intimate, intellectual and welcoming setting.”

Three attendees interviewed by the News said that students were not afraid to challenge Rothman at the event, many of whom came to call him out and shame him – a “hostile” audience that Hamama said Rothman seemed not to expect.

Schorr said that Yale students and community members might have a “difficult” time understanding who this group of protesters is, specifying that the group’s simultaneous support and critique of Israel does not fit into clear ideological categories discussed in the United States. 

“It’s important that people understand that Israel still has a vibrant civil society and a society that people really care about,” Schorr said, adding that, “even when this war is happening, there is discourse happening and tension between the government and society.” 

Shabtai was founded in 1996 by graduate students Ben Karp, Michael Alexander, future Senator and presidential candidate Cory Booker and Rabbi Shmully Hecht.  

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Bridges joined Stephanie Owusu ’24 and William Johnson, the director of educational strategy at the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, onstage. On Nov. 14, 1960, Bridges became the first Black student to integrate into William Frantz Elementary, an all-white school in Louisiana. 

At the event, Bridges shared accounts of her experiences and called on all in attendance to actively push toward combating barriers that divide people. 

Risë Nelson, chair of Yale’s MLK Commemoration planning committee and director of diversity, equity, inclusion & accessibility of Yale University Library & Collections, introduced Bridges at the event.

“We couldn’t be happier to welcome Ms. Bridges to Yale,” Nelson said. “Her insights, coupled with the significance of the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education this year, promise to enrich our understanding and dedication to advancing educational justice.”

As attendees streamed into Woosley, they were met with a performance by Harmony in Action, Music Haven’s advanced student chamber orchestra. Composed of New Haven students, Harmony in Action performed several pieces including “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” a hymn that is often referred to as “the Black national anthem.” 

Following the performance, members of the MLK planning committee Risha Chakraborty ’25 and Yasmeen Abed ’23 provided an opening introduction. Their remarks were followed by Nelson who dedicated the commemoration event to children and educators. Nelson’s remarks were followed by Kimberly Goff-Crews, secretary and vice president for student life, and University President Peter Salovey. 

Before Stephen Shepherd ’27 welcomed Bridges, Owusu and Johnson to the stage, the a cappella group Shades of Yale performed a gospel rendition of “Amen/We Shall Overcome.” 

Throughout the evening, Owusu posed questions to both Bridges and Johnson on the topic of educational equity and equality.

Bridges began by describing what education means to her, highlighting the ability education has to foster understanding and empathy. For Bridges’s parents, the chance for their daughter to attend William Frantz Elementary meant a chance for her to go to college and have a better life full of opportunities. 

Bridges further discussed the sacrifice that her parents made when they agreed to send her to William Frantz Elementary School and emphasized that people still must fight for the opportunity of education. 

Bridges then relayed her personal story, including her walk escorted by U.S marshals through a crowd of people protesting her attendance at the school. Bridges specifically emphasized that she felt protected by her childhood innocence, recalling that she was not initially aware of the racism when she began her first walk. 

At six years old, Bridges remarked that the crowd of angry protesters initially felt like a New Orleans Mardi Gras parade. 

Bridges told the story of meeting Barbara Henry, who was her teacher and who she calls her best friend to this day, within the school. At first impression, Henry, a white woman, looked exactly like the crowd of people outside, Bridges said. Yet, Bridges described the care Henry showed her. She said she felt that she could have a good day because of her relationship with Henry. 

Bridges connected this story to the message of King and his famous words that one must judge a person based on their character and not the color of their skin. 

Bridges then moved on to illustrate what she sees as the fight people are currently engaged in of good vs. evil, discussing how racism is only one of the “many tools” to divide us.  

Bridges also described her first encounter with racism as the moment when a white child said he couldn’t play with her because his mom said so. This story introduced another one of Bridges’ central messages: how adults who impart knowledge to children can prolong the injustices of the past. 

Johnson followed this by reflecting on his work in education, adding it is the responsibility of educators, parents and other adults to teach goodness. 

In an interview with the News before this event, Owusu spoke on the power of the commemoration event and Bridges’ words.

“I remember, even in kindergarten, being taught that you can make change at this age just like Ruby Bridges did,” Owusu said. 

Risha Chakraborty ’25 said that she appreciated the relevance of Bridges’ message in our currently “fraught world.” Chakraborty said she specifically took away an understanding of the innocence of children in relation to issues such as racism.

“I think she really wants everyone to realize the impact they have on shaping the younger generations of the world and commit to allowing our children to keep their innocence and fight for good for as long as possible,” Chakraborty said. 

Following the discussion, Ward 1 Alder Kiana Flores ’25 presented Bridges with an official citation from the New Haven Board of Alders. Alpha Phi Alpha, the oldest intercollegiate historically African American fraternity, and the Yale Black Alumni Association gifted Bridges a crystal from New Haven and Yale. 

Bridges closed out her responses with a central message on the need for good in today’s world. 

“It is time for our movement, it is time for those of us who consider ourselves good to come together…we need each other.,” Bridges said. “That is my message.”

Last year, Dr. King’s eldest son Martin Luther King III spoke at the 2023 MLK commemoration in Woolsey Hall. 

The post Ruby Bridges addresses a packed Woolsey Hall for 2024 MLK Commemoration appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Surrounding the celebration of MLK day on Jan. 15, Yale’s MLK celebration planning committee has hosted a plethora of free events over the last three weeks, including on-campus speakers and lectures, film screenings, music, exhibitions in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library and Sterling Memorial Library, slam poetry and more. These events will culminate on Jan. 24 with the visit of civil rights activist Ruby Bridges, who will give a talk titled, “Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers: The Ongoing Fight for Educational Justice.” 

“We know that a diverse Yale, in every respect, is a more excellent Yale. Commemorating Dr. King and his legacy of racial, economic, and educational justice serves as a powerful reminder and inspiration,” said the 2024 MLK celebration planning committee in a statement made by Heather Calabrese, Yasmeen Abed ’23 and Committee Chair Risë Nelson. The committee is composed of staff, faculty, students, alumni and community representatives. 

Last year, the planning committee hosted its first in-person commemoration events since the COVID-19 pandemic, including Martin Luther King III as a speaker. This year marks the second consecutive year of commemoration speakers, and the planning committee has organized an additional variety of events.

One central focus of this year’s events is its proximity to history. Af-Am House Director and Assistant Dean Temeica Bethel ’11 noted the importance of acknowledging the recency of struggles for racial justice. 

“It’s crucial that we consider the recency of this history, particularly now when so much of Black history is being erased in parts of our country,” Bethel said. “In honoring MLK, we must disabuse ourselves of the idea that we are so far removed from the terrors of our past. I hope people walk away from the Ruby Bridges event, and the event with General Woodhouse last week, feeling more connected to history and inspired to continue learning.”

A member of the planning committee, Stephanie Owusu ’24 will be onstage and in conversation with Bridges during the speaking event. Owusu also noted that while some might view struggles for racial equality as ancient history, these movements are not far removed from us. 

Furthermore, Owusu said that celebrating Black History Month and honoring MLK at Yale showcases what current Black students are doing and highlights the legacies of former alumni. 

“[These figures] still play an important role in how I see myself today as a Black woman attending Yale,” added Owusu.

EJ Jarvis ’23, another member of the planning committee, discussed hope and equality. Jarvis said that current events can give both New Haven residents and the Yale community a newfound sense of hope and drive for spreading Dr. King’s message.

When asked about the most important part of celebrating MLK day, Fidha Kabwita ’26 emphasized the role King’s history can play in today’s politics.

“I think the most important part is learning the history the way it was without it being white-washed,” she added.

This year’s events include a collaboration between Yale and the New Haven Free Public Libraries, where each library hosts a story-time reading of Ruby Bridges’ book, “Dear Ruby, Hear Our Hearts.” Following a visit and storytime, the children were each given a copy of the book to take home. 

Mitchell Librarians Marian Huggins and Sarah Quigley noted that their library had not done MLK-specific programming for children before this year, as their programming had traditionally been for adults. Yet, both libraries emphasized the benefits of meeting with kids to tell Bridges’ story.

“Kids have a real hunger for justice and we can really be a part of growing that,” Quigley said. 

Nelson, who grew up in New Haven attending these libraries, noted the power of pouring into the community through this collaboration. Owusu echoed the necessity of including New Haven voices, adding that it is especially important to involve students in a year when educational justice is a primary theme of MLK Day events. 

The Afro-American Cultural Center also hosted Gilder Lehrman Center Director of Education and Public Outreach Daisha Brabham in a presentation titled, “The Story We Tell Ourselves: The Long History and Fight for Black Public Education in America.” Brabham’s presentation was interactive and discussed themes of educational justice that will also be covered by Bridges.

Brabham’s talk highlighted how long ago the fight for Black public education began, discussing multiple members of Black history who fought for equal education. Brabham specifically touched on the story of five-year-old Sarah Roberts, whose father sued a white segregated school after it rejected Sarah because of her race.

Following the event, Josephine Steuer-Ingall ’24 described the talk as “really illuminating,” especially on the ties to earlier history. Steuer-Ingall further commented on the strengths of in-person events, where people can be physically present while learning this history. 

Iana Phipps ’25 added that Brabham’s presentation highlighted students’ role in demanding the right to education, noting that the fight is ongoing. 

In reflecting on the celebrations in general, Owusu said that she hopes the Yale community takes away an understanding of how MLK fought for equal education for all.

“[Dr. King’s] legacy has left an impact on the field of education … justice is where we find a lot of our solutions and the dream doesn’t end just simply with Black children and white children holding hands,” she concluded, adding that she hoped the programming would help “to allow for future generations of Yalies to be able to move towards a just education … one that values all its members and includes all sides of history.”

Ruby Bridges will serve as the commemoration speaker for MLK Day in a discussion hosted by Stephanie Owusu ’24 and William Johnson at Woolsey Hall on Jan. 24 at from 5:30 p.m. 

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Organized by the newly founded Indigenous Peoples of Oceania, students celebrated Lā Kūʻokoʻa throughout the week of Nov. 27 through Dec. 4. The celebrations included Lei and Mele Oli workshops, a screening of Boy, a Hawai’i Sign Language panel and speaker events. 

“Our goal really was to bring the Pacific to Yale and have this space be somewhere where everybody on campus can learn about our culture and engage with it in meaningful ways,” Joshua Ching ’26, executive director of IPO, said. 

Lā Kūʻokoʻa is an important time of year for Kānaka Maoli people, or Native Hawaiians, as they commemorate the formal recognition of the sovereignty of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Celebrated every Nov. 28, the holiday honors the 1843 proclamation signed between Hawaiian and Anglo-Franco representatives which recognized the independence of the kingdom. The United States verbally acknowledged Hawaiian sovereignty at this time but explicitly declined to join in on the proclamation because it would be legally binding a require a formal treaty ratified by the United States Senate. Lā Kūʻokoʻa events throughout the week also further recognized the tragedies inflicted by the United States when they overthrew the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893 and then annexed Hawai’i in 1898.

For Kānaka Maoli at Yale, Lā Kūʻokoʻa serves as a time to reconnect with Hawaiian values, culture and histories within the Pasifika and wider Indigenous community. Aligning with the founding of IPO, this year’s events are the first official celebrations for Lā Kūʻokoʻa on Yale’s campus. 

Financial Director of IPO Amber Nobriga ’27 noted the relation Lā Kū’oko’a has to sovereignty movements throughout Hawaiian history, given that the U.S. violated the recognition agreement of 1843. 

“In Hawai’i, the celebration of Lā Kūʻokoʻa is a protest of the current order of things,” Nobriga wrote to the News. “To the people who understand and who care, the day is spent remembering and educating, and at Yale, we are trying to create that same space of remembrance and education.” 

Planning for Lā Kūʻokoʻa at Yale originated with Ching’s service project for his American Sign Language class which included organizing a Hawai’i Sign Language panel. Once the panel was scheduled for the week of Lā Kūʻokoʻa, Ching then brought up the idea of a week-long series of events at an IPO meeting, snowballing into IPO organizing different events for the whole week. 

Nobriga, who organized the speaker events and funding for the week, highlighted that the aim was to uplift Hawaiian culture through events showcasing language, cultural practices, art and discussion. 

“All of the different backgrounds that people came from were able to kind of mesh together and create something that is genuinely so beautiful,” Ching said. 

IPO Media Director Emma Slagle ’26 told the News that her family would wear Lā Kūʻokoʻa themed t-shirts and unfurl three massive Hawaiian flags in their garage to celebrate the day at her home in Hawai’i. 

Slagle also emphasized the significance of celebrating where students come from and acknowledging Native Hawaiian and Pasifika history, as well as creating a sense of community so far from home.

Ching reflected on the programming that his high school organized surrounding Lā Kūʻokoʻa. These events included discussions in social studies classes, and past celebrations were held at the Hawai’i state capitol in conjunction with other community organizations. Ching said he specifically remembered an event in middle school where students received t-shirts with the original document that recognized Hawaiian independence. 

Dane Keahi ’27, who also attended the same school, noted his appreciation of the continued space to celebrate Hawaiian independence and culture, especially in the transition from home to Yale. 

“I wouldn’t want to see it where [Lā Kūʻokoʻa] doesn’t have the celebration,” Keahi said.  

Ching discussed the positive benefits of creating a small home away from home within the IPO community. Nobriga echoed these sentiments, adding that celebrating Lā Kūʻokoʻa at Yale is important because it allows Kanaka Maoli and other Pasifika students to find a community and bond. 

After a year without being able to take part in formalized celebrations, Ching said he felt there was special significance in this year’s events for him. 

“After [my] first year where there wasn’t really much presence of Native Hawaiian-centric or Pasifika-centric events or celebrations on campus, it was really just awesome to be able to have that and hold space in such an important way,” Ching said. 

Jairus Rhoades ’26 discussed the strength Lā Kūʻokoʻa celebrations have in uniting people from across campus. 

“[Lā Kūʻokoʻa] connects Native Hawaiians with their culture,” Rhoades said. “It connects Polynesians with a culture that is very proximate to their own like mine as a Samoan. It connects me with the place I’m from and it connects allies with a history inflicted on these marginalized communities.”

Waihe’e, Osorio speak at NACC

Speaker events the IPO organized at the Native American Cultural Center featured former Hawai’i Governor John Waihe’e and Dean of Hawai’inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge Jon Osorio over Zoom. On Thursday, Nov. 30, Waihe’e’s talk began with the oli E Hō Mai. An oli is a traditional Hawaiian chant, and E Hō Mai was taught and practiced during the Mele Oli workshop which took place on Nov. 29.

Waihe’e discussed the significance of Lā Kūʻokoʻa in preserving Hawaiian life and identity, sharing historical stories and noting the stream of consciousness that unites all Hawaiians. 

Emphasizing that Lā Kūʻokoʻa is not just a political moment, Waihe’e said that recognition and independence are preservation of Native Hawaiian life. 

 “We have a love for this place, this land, and for who we are,” Waihe’e said.  

Waihe’e shared one specific story about the allyship between Japan and Hawai’i, where Japan stood in defense of Hawaiian sovereignty against American attempts to annex Hawai’i in 1893. Several students at the event mentioned that this was an aspect of Hawaiian history that they were not previously familiar with. 

Following his talk, Waihe’e opened the floor to questions. Following a question about advice for Pasifika students learning and living so far from home, Waihe’e told attendees to, “Never forget who you are.” 

On Monday, Dec. 4, Osorio spoke at another speaker event at the NACC about the importance of talking about Hawai’i’s past colonial struggle within the context of sovereignty and indigenous representation in positions of power. Osorio provided historical context on the American and European influence in Hawai’i before and following Lā Kū’oko’a, particularly the demand for equality and equity for Kānaka Maoli people in Hawai’i. 

Osorio emphasized the importance of Lā Kū’oko’a as a time to further recognize “the devastation to our dignity, to our pride” following the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893 by the United States. 

Osorio added that, since 2016, he has observed Native Hawaiians taking greater action in government to “take care of the land.” He finished his talk with a performance of a song he wrote in 1983 for his grandmother with English lyrics, accompanying his singing with the ukulele.

Slagle noted that the speaker events were her favorite part of the week-long celebrations and she was pleased with the high turnout. 

“It’s a really rare opportunity to be able to talk and interact with people that knowledgeable…you learn things you can’t find in history books,” Slagle said. 

Looking toward the future

When looking to the future of celebrating Lā Kūʻokoʻa at Yale, Rhoades said that his personal goal as a member of IPO is to engage allies and non-Pasifika students. He noted the positive effects of people visiting the NACC and engaging with Indigenous culture. 

Nobriga said that she hopes next year’s celebrations will reach even more people. Reflecting on this year’s celebrations, she highlighted the importance of engagement from members of the Yale community who are not part of the IPO.  

“When people and classmates that you respect show an interest in learning about your culture and your history, it feels amazing, validating, and makes you feel that what you have been doing and advocating for is making a difference,” Nobriga wrote. 

Ching noted some potential events for the years coming. In addition to speaker events, Ching mentioned the possibility of partnering with Yale Hospitality to bring traditional Hawaiian food to the dining halls. Ching also discussed the goal of a large celebration on the day of Lā Kūʻokoʻa. 

“In future years, as these events continue to grow and [Pasifika] presence continues to grow, our intention is for IPO to be an organization that is teaching the wider community about our culture and allowing them to also engage in it.” Ching said. 

IPO at Yale was founded in the fall semester of the 2023-2024 school year. 

Correction: A previous version of this article included numerous diacritical errors, which have since been fixed; details have also been added and amended about historical relations between the Hawaiian Kingdom and the United States.

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Let’s start with something classy. The Crewdog Yale-Harvard sweatshirt brings a Ralph-Lauren-esque elevation to the classic hoodie. On the front, you’ll see our very own Handsome Dan squaring off with some animal in red (I thought Harvard’s mascot was just the color crimson?). Crewdog has many options, all equally sleek. Wearing this hoodie to The Game would be a warm and intellectual option for showing Havard who’s boss. 

Sticking with the upscale vibe, Yale Emergency Medical Services have crafted an electric Yale-Harvard design. On the front, we are met with two simple words: “The Game.” The back is a vibrant portrait of the football field, setting the colors of Bulldog Blue and Crimson against an ambulance in the backdrop. It reads, “Yale EMS. Taking Care of Harvard since ’03,” a phrase as cold as the Ice Blue color of the hoodie. Personally, this is my merchandise of choice. This design embodies the best of Yale, combining generosity with wit. Also, objectively, the graphic on the back is just cool. 

Other merchandise options might be a little less fancy. Indeed, many of the t-shirt designs flooding my inbox look to be quickly photoshopped creations taken directly off Fizz. But does this mean these shirts aren’t iconic? Absolutely not. 

Take the Thriving Bodies Initiative, a group that brought us the Peter Salovey Nipple Shirt of 2023. Complete with a design of Salovey’s head atop a cartoon insect, this shirt is sure to strike fear into the hearts of Harvard students. I say we go even further and photoshop Salovey onto Hugh Jackman’s body in order to properly convey the strength of our glorious institution. 

But wait! There’s more. The Thriving Bodies Initiative has also brought us a simple masterpiece. On the front we have a Yale logo, our normal brain. On the back we have the Harvard logo, showing our brain on drugs. This is simple and to the point. Any Harvard student standing behind you will begin shaking in their boots. I suggest this design to someone ready to go to war in the stands of The Game (and all of you should be). 

The list of excellent, silly t-shirts is not over yet. The Yale Record does not disappoint with two of their designs. Clean and straightforward, one shirt proclaims the objectively true statement, “There is no L in Yale.” The other properly describes, “Harvard thinks this is pants.” Nothing gets me more fired up than a simple quip, and The Record is excellent at accomplishing just that. Last year, they made the famed “Harvard Not Good School” shirt. I have to say if you have that shirt in the back of your closet, bring it back and wear it to The Game. 

Truly, there is something for everyone. If you feel formal, goofy or somewhere in between, there’s a way for you to harness that creative energy towards stomping Harvard through your outfit. Moreover, if you didn’t shell out for one of these exclusive designs, have no fear. You can always make your own, as photoshopping Peter Salovey onto a t-shirt seems surprisingly accessible. You could rep a different outfit that portrays Yale spirit. You might catch me wearing my Walrus costume, highlighting my every-dying love for Morse College (KISS OUR AXE HARVARD). 

Alternatively, you could always wear classic Yale merch. Yale slippers, Yale bathrobe, Yale hoodie, Yale sweatpants, Yale socks. You can make sure that every inch of your body is covered with obnoxiously overpriced, yet stylish, merchandise from the bookstore. I’m not sure if they sell Yale underwear but if they do, find a way to buy it before The Game. Only the best for your star-crossed Harvard lover. 

Don’t forget that the greatest Yale merch for Game day was actually made by our doting rival. If you have somehow found yourself in possession of a “Yale is a munch” bucket hat, wear it. If you have one and don’t want to wear it, please sell it to me. Need I say more? 

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Fenichel’s talk, hosted in Marsh Lecture Hall from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with free public admission, presented new initiatives in environmental and economic policy. Fenichel spoke on his two-year experience as the assistant director of natural resource economics and accounting at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. 

The lecture was part of the Edward P. Bass distinguished lectures, a series of biannual lectures co-sponsored by the Yale Peabody Museum and the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies. 

Fenichel spoke on the interconnectedness of the environment and the economy, referring to an unofficial unit of geologic time known as the Anthropocene. 

“The idea of the Anthropocene is we have a new geologic period where people are now the driving force of geologic and earth system processes … all of our economic decisions are actually driving changes in the natural environment itself,” Fenichel said. 

Fenichel was introduced by Carla Staver, associate director of the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies and a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. Throughout his lecture, Fenichel emphasized the importance of managing the environment as a regular part of the economy. 

Fenichel further outlined the necessity of including natural capital, the acknowledgment of natural resources, in economic analyses. Currently, the United Nations and World Economic Forum have been involved in efforts to create a richer system that includes the environment in analyzing economic and social progress. Finichel noted that many African countries, Australia, Canada and Chile have begun to conduct natural capital accounting. 

Fenichel shared a metaphor involving an income statement and a balance sheet. The summary of the income statement represents gross domestic product and the balance sheet includes natural and human capital. He noted the inclusion of natural resources in balance sheets run by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Fenichel then discussed OMB Circular A-4, recent federal legislation that seeks to modernize cost-benefit analysis by including environmental factors. OMB Circular A-4 was last updated in 2003 under former President Barack Obama, however, Fenichel noted that the environment was only implicitly referenced in this earlier version. 

Now, the environment is a central part of various sections of the legislation. Fenichel also said that the document provides clear guidelines on how to conduct cost-benefit analysis in order to assess changes in environment and ecosystem services.

This legislation, Fenichel said, will help the government with policy development.

“It really is about making better decisions and helping the government think through all of the stuff we’re asking it to do,” Fenichel said.

The update to OMB Circular A-4 has not yet been finalized but Fenichel stated he is confident it will be soon. After undergoing peer review, the legislation is currently posted as a draft for public comment by the White House. 

Before opening the floor to questions, Fenichel finished his lecture with a reflection on his time at the White House. 

“We built a bunch of new institutional structures to help us stop treating the environment as if it were free, while ensuring positive, real, economic growth,” Fenichel said. 

After the event, Eliza King, assistant director of development for the Peabody Museum, told the News that Edward P. Bass distinguished lectures typically align with the biannual visitation of the Peabody Leadership Council, a group including young Yale alumni and experts in the fields of natural history. 

Carol Denatale, the project director for the ongoing renovation at the Peabody Museum, stated that the leadership group of the Peabody Museum was in attendance at the lecture. 

“This lecture topic ties in directly to some of the subjects that we’re trying to grapple with over at the museum … It’s a beautiful event to have for our particular group,” Denatale said. 

Denatale added that the Peabody Leadership Council spent the earlier part of the day with Fenichel at the museum. Following the talk, the group headed back for dinner at the Peabody Museum.

Moreover, Edward P. Bass himself was in attendance at this lecture. King said that the Peabody Museum was especially grateful to Bass, who also founded the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies, as Bass’s gift made the current renovation of the Peabody Museum possible. 

The event was mostly attended by Yale faculty and staff of the Peabody Museum, but Yale undergraduates joined the talk as well. Michael Yao ’27 was at the talk, which he said was “incredibly exciting.” 

“The reason I was drawn to come to Yale was that I’m interested in the environmental policy work here,” Yao said. “This is kind of the coolest thing I’ve been to.”

During the question and answer session, Yao asked Fenichel how many environmental decisions were made based on cost-benefit analysis. 

Sarah Jeddy ’27 also attended the event due to a long-standing interest in the environment. She noted that, while planning on majoring in global affairs, she didn’t want to lose her connection to studying the environment. 

“Even if I’m not going to study [the environment], I do want to learn more about it,” Jeddy said. 

King praised the ability that Edward P. Bass lectures have to showcase fieldwork to anyone who is able to come. King cited the strength these lectures have in “bringing science to our various constituencies and doing it in a way that is so interesting and exciting.” 

The Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies will host postdoctoral associate Nadia Zikiou for a talk on Dec. 1 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This talk will cover dynamic landscapes.

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