Latest news with #HarvardClub
Straits Times
6 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
Harvard to relinquish slave photos to resolve descendant's lawsuit
FILE PHOTO: A man uses his phone to take video of Tamara Lanier speak to the media about a lawsuit accusing Harvard University of the monetization of photographic images of her great-great-great grandfather, an enslaved African man named Renty, and his daughter, Delia outside of the Harvard Club in New York, U.S., March 20, 2019. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo FILE PHOTO: Tamara Lanier listens as her lawyer speaks to the media about a lawsuit accusing Harvard University of the monetization of photographic images of her great-great-great grandfather, an enslaved African man named Renty, and his daughter Delia, outside of the Harvard Club in New York, U.S., March 20, 2019. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo BOSTON - Harvard University has agreed to give up ownership of photos of an enslaved father and his daughter who were forced to be photographed in 1850 for a racist study by a professor trying to prove the inferiority of Black people to resolve a lawsuit by one of their descendants. The settlement was announced on Wednesday by the legal team representing Tamara Lanier, who had waged a six-year legal battle over what she alleged was its wrongful claim of ownership over photos that were taken without her ancestors' consent. The photos will not go to Lanier as part of the settlement, but instead will be turned over along with pictures of five other enslaved people to the International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina. "Harvard played a role in the darkest chapter in American history," Lanier said in a statement. "This is a small step in the right direction towards fully acknowledging that history and working to rectify it." Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Harvard said it had long been eager to place the photos with another public institution "to put them in the appropriate context and increase access to them for all Americans." "This settlement now allows us to move forward towards that goal," the school said. The settlement comes as Harvard fights in court against efforts by President Donald Trump's administration to terminate billions of dollars in grant funding and end its ability to enroll foreign students. The lawsuit concerned images depicting Renty Taylor and his daughter Delia, slaves on a South Carolina plantation who were forced to disrobe for photos taken for a racist study by Harvard Professor Louis Agassiz. The photos were being kept at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology on Harvard's campus when Lanier sued in 2019. A judge in Massachusetts initially dismissed the case. But the state's highest court revived it in 2022, saying she had plausibly alleged Harvard was negligent and recklessly caused her to suffer emotional distress. Justice Scott Kafker, writing for the court, said Harvard "cavalierly" dismissed Lanier's claims of an ancestral link and disregarded her requests for information about how it was using the pictures, including when the school used Renty Taylor's image on a book cover. He called the pictures' creation "horrific" and said Harvard had "responsibilities to the descendants of the individuals coerced into having their half-naked images captured in the daguerreotypes." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Toronto Sun
7 days ago
- General
- Toronto Sun
After a 15-year battle, Harvard agrees in settlement to relinquish early photos of slaves
Published May 28, 2025 • 4 minute read Tamara Lanier attends a news conference near the Harvard Club, on March 20, 2019, in New York. Photo by Frank Franklin II / AP BOSTON — Harvard University will relinquish 175-year-old photographs believed to be the earliest taken of enslaved people to a South Carolina museum devoted to African American history as part of a settlement with one of the subjects' descendants. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. 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Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The photos of the subjects identified by Tamara Lanier as her great-great-great-grandfather Renty, whom she calls 'Papa Renty,' and his daughter Delia will be transferred from the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology to the International African American Museum in South Carolina, the state where they were enslaved in 1850 when the photos were taken, a lawyer for Lanier said Wednesday. The settlement marks the end of a 15-year battle between Lanier and the nation's most elite university to release the 19th-century 'daguerreotypes,' a precursor to modern-day photographs. Lanier's attorney Joshua Koskoff told The Associated Press that the resolution is an 'unprecedented' victory for descendants of those enslaved in the U.S. and praised his client's yearslong determination in pursuing justice for her ancestors. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I think it's one of one in American history, because of the combination of unlikely features: to have a case that dates back 175 years, to win control over images dating back that long of enslaved people — that's never happened before,' Koskoff said in a phone interview. The AP sent an email seeking comment from Harvard. A complex history Lanier, who lives in Connecticut, sued the Ivy League institution in 2019 for 'wrongful seizure, possession and expropriation' of the images of Renty, Delia and five other enslaved individuals. The suit attacked Harvard for its 'exploitation' of Renty's image at a 2017 conference and in other uses. It said Harvard has capitalized on the photos by demanding a 'hefty' licensing fee to reproduce the images. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The daguerreotypes were commissioned by Harvard biologist Louis Agassiz, whose theories on racial difference were used to support slavery in the U.S. The lawsuit says Agassiz came across Renty and Delia while touring plantations in search of racially 'pure' slaves born in Africa. To create the images, both Renty and Delia were posed shirtless and photographed from several angles. 'To Agassiz, Renty and Delia were nothing more than research specimens,' the suit says. 'The violence of compelling them to participate in a degrading exercise designed to prove their own subhuman status would not have occurred to him, let alone mattered.' In 2022, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled in Lanier's favour and reaffirmed the merits of Lanier's lawsuit against Harvard after a lower court judge ruled she had no legal claim to the images. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The state's highest court recognized 'Harvard's complicity in the horrific actions surrounding the creation of the daguerreotypes,' saying that 'Harvard's present obligations cannot be divorced from its past abuses.' A new home for Renty and Delia In a statement Wednesday, CEO of the International African American Museum Dr. Tonya M. Matthews called Harvard's relinquishing of the images a moment '175 years in the making.' 'The bravery, tenacity, and grace shown by Ms. Lanier throughout the long and arduous process of returning these critical pieces of Renty and Delia's story to South Carolina is a model for us all,' she said. The South Carolina museum has committed to working with Lanier and including her in decisions about how the story of the images will be told. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It's not an improvement just to move them from one closet in a mighty institution to another. And so really, the real importance of this is to allow these images to breathe, to allow the story — the full story — to be told not by a conflicted player in the story, which Harvard was from the beginning,' Koskoff said. The attorney said 'everybody has the right to tell the story of their own families.' 'That's the least, most basic right we might have,' he said. 'To be able to tell the story of her family with a museum that will allow her to tell it — I mean, you can't do any better than that.' In Lanier's lawsuit, she asked for Harvard to acknowledge its complicity in slavery, listen to Lanier's oral family history and pay an unspecified sum in damages. An undisclosed financial settlement was part of the resolution with Harvard announced Wednesday, but Koskoff said Harvard still hasn't publicly acknowledged Lanier's connection to them or its connection to perpetuating slavery in the U.S., Koskoff said. 'That is just left unanswered by Harvard,' he said. He said Lanier isn't expecting or waiting to hear from the institution, but that the settlement speaks for itself. 'In the end, the truth will find you — you can you can only hide from it for so long,' he said. 'Yes, history is written by the winners. But over time, you know, those winners look like losers sometimes.' Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls Toronto Maple Leafs News Canada
The National
7 days ago
- Business
- The National
Emirati Harvard alumni criticise Trump plan to block overseas students
Harvard's Emirati graduates have denounced the Trump administration's plan to bar foreign students from attending the Ivy League university as 'deeply misguided and counterproductive' and say it would damage the US economy. The White House move would force international students enrolled at the university to transfer to a different institution or lose their legal status, the Department of Homeland Security said last week. A US federal judge on Friday blocked the government's effort to remove Harvard's right to enrol international students, with another hearing set for Thursday in Boston. The Trump administration says Harvard has not done enough to fight anti-Semitism and change its admissions practices – allegations the university has strongly denied. Harvard said the proposed ban is a 'blatant violation' of the law and free speech rights. Emiratis who studied at Harvard have spoken out against the decision, which would stop thousands of overseas students from pursuing their academic dreams. 'He isn't harming anyone but the USA,' Bader Alawadhi, who attended Harvard Business School and is a member of the Harvard Club of the UAE, told The National. 'What this administration doesn't understand is that they are trying to arm twist an institution that was in existence long before the idea of a United States even existed. 'Reliant on immigrant talent' 'The idea of hurting Harvard will end up hurting an economy that heavily relies on immigrant talent coming to the country,' he added. 'Harvard has seen so much change on the North American continent, not least revolution, the abolition of slavery and civil war. Trump will be seen as a minor issue in the long arc of time. 'This madness should stop, or we will see less innovation.' Harvard has a significant foreign student population. Data shows that 6,793 international students make up 27.2 per cent of its enrolment in the 2024-25 academic year. There are currently 14 Emirati students and scholars on the university's books, according to statistics on its website. Students left in limbo 'As a Harvard Kennedy School graduate, I strongly believe that any ban on international students studying at institutions like Harvard is deeply misguided and counterproductive,' Muhra Almuhairi, who earned a master's degree in public administration from Harvard Kennedy School in 2021, told The National. 'Such a ban would harm both international and domestic students alike.' Ms Almuhairi, 50, continues to mentor Emirati students at the university. She said she knew of five Emiratis directly affected by the policy shift: four in the one-year master's programme and one in the two-year master's course in public administration. 'The four students have a week to graduate,' she said. 'But it is Sara, who is enrolled in the two-year programme, whose future is undecided. 'We are confident that Harvard will win the case because such a move doesn't just affect individuals, but the entire dynamic of what Harvard is all about,' Ms Almuhairi said she recently applied for a researcher's post at the Harvard Kennedy School but has yet to receive a response. She warned that restricting student visas undermines America's global standing and its power to bring about change. 'Education is one of the most powerful tools of diplomacy. Many international students return to their countries with a deep appreciation for American values and institutions. That goodwill is irreplaceable – and banning them creates resentment, not respect.' 'Whether in health care, climate, or AI governance, students at institutions like Harvard are developing cross-border solutions. Denying access denies humanity the brainpower it urgently needs,' she said. Students look elsewhere Varun Jain, chief executive of UAE education consultancy firm UniHawk, told The National the decision has affected the perception that the US is the 'place where people build their dreams, especially through education'. 'Europe and Australia are becoming increasingly popular among international and expatriate students,' he said. 'Families are actively seeking backup plans outside the US due to increased uncertainty.' Mr Jain said Washington's move has pushed parents to 'explore and prioritise alternatives more seriously than before'. To those considering their own applications, his advice is to 'stay as informed and flexible' as possible. 'Students have to watch the proceedings to see how it affects each individual case. There's not much else to do but observe and monitor,' he added. Fewer Emirati students were already applying to study in the US, said one education expert in the UAE, and recent developments were unlikely to reverse that. 'Over the past few years, approximately 11 per cent of Gems Education graduates have enrolled into a US higher education institution, with students attracted to the reputation of these institutions,' said Christopher Goodbourn, director of the Gems for Life programme to help students advance into third-level education. 'However, interest has been declining due to questions around programme return on investment, post-study employment paths and government policy.' Students and families were increasingly prioritising stability, affordability and long-term opportunity – factors that were becoming harder to guarantee in the US, he added. 'While interest in US universities remains steady, we're seeing more students applying to institutions in the UAE, and Europe – keeping their options open until they feel confident in the long-term value and security of their choice.' What sparked standoff? US President Donald Trump is furious with Harvard – which has produced 162 Nobel Prize winners – for rejecting his demand that it submit to oversight on admissions and hiring, and his claims that it is a hotbed of anti-Semitism and 'woke' liberal ideology. Harvard is the wealthiest US university, with an endowment valued at $53.2 billion in 2024. However, the absence of foreign students would affect the institution, where it can cost nearly $100,000 a year to study. The Trump administration has also moved to revoke visas and deport foreign students involved in protests against the war in Gaza, accusing them of supporting Palestinian militant group Hamas. In the fight with Harvard, the US government has threatened to put $9 billion of funding under review, then froze a first tranche of $2.2 billion of grants and $60 million of official contracts. It has also marked a Harvard Medical School researcher for deportation. Ivy League universities – in pictures
The Independent
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
China invites foreign students with ‘unconditional offers' after Trump bans them from attending Harvard
China has stepped up and issued 'unconditional offers' to international students at Harvard amid the American university's ongoing conflict with the Donald Trump administration. The Trump administration last week revoked Harvard's ability to enrol international students, leaving foreign students with the choice of transferring to other universities or losing their legal status. A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the decision and set a hearing for 29 May. The ban, effective for the 2025-2026 academic year, came as the administration alleged that Harvard fostered antisemitism and coordinated with the Chinese Communist Party. The move affects around 1,300 Chinese students who make up about a fifth of Harvard's international enrollment. Hong Kong education secretary Christine Choi called on universities in the Chinese financial hub to welcome 'outstanding students from all over the world'. 'For international students affected by the United States' student admission policy, the Education Bureau has appealed to all universities in Hong Kong to provide facilitation measures for eligible students," Ms Choi said in a statement. The Education Bureau said it had contacted the Harvard Club of Hong Kong to offer support for students affected by the move. 'We'll continue to keep a close eye on the needs of students whose studies have been affected by the shifting global education landscape,' the bureau said, adding that it would consider support measures as part of the city's role as an "international education hub". The education secretary said that universities in Hong Kong were making use of government measures, including relaxing the maximum limits on foreign students, to attract pupils to the city. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on Friday invited international students at Harvard to continue their studies at the city university. The university said it was ready to 'provide unconditional offers, streamlined admission procedures and academic support to facilitate a seamless transition for interested students'. Hong Kong, a city of 7.5 million people, has five universities in the top 100 of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. It was until recently regarded as one of Asia's freest academic arenas. Schools and universities in the city are now obliged to integrate national security and patriotic themes into their teaching, bringing them closer in line with education in mainland China. Mr Trump, meanwhile, demanded Harvard provide his administration with the 'names and countries' of all its international students. There would be some 6,793 names on such a list, according to the latest data shared by the university. 'Why isn't Harvard saying that almost 31% of their students are from FOREIGN LANDS, and yet those countries, some not at all friendly to the United States, pay NOTHING toward their students' education nor do they ever intend to,' he declared on his social media platform Truth Social. 'Nobody told us that!' The administration had previously warned that Harvard University 's federal funding was at risk if it did not comply with the president's demands, which included ending diversity programmes, submitting a 'viewpoint diversity' audit, and dissolving pro-Palestine demonstrations. But judge Allison Burroughs called the order a 'blatant violation of the constitution' and granted Harvard a temporary restraining order against the administration. Burroughs said Harvard's attorneys had shown the move would do 'immediate and irreparable injury' to the institution. Another federal judge had previously blocked the Trump administration from revoking the legal status for international students nationwide while a legal challenge was ongoing. Harvard's professors and staff have come out in support of their foreign students and the university administration has said it was committed to ensuring the students could stay.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
M-tron Industries, Inc. to Host Investor Presentation followed by Annual Meeting of Stockholders on June 10, 2025
ORLANDO, Fla., May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- M-tron Industries, Inc. (NYSE American: MPTI) ("Mtron" or the "Company") today announced that it will hold its 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders in New York City on June 10, 2025. The 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Annual Meeting") will be held on: Date: June 10, 2025 Time: 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time Location Harvard Club of New York City 35 W 44th St New York, New York 10036 In addition, Mtron will host an Investor Presentation on June 10, 2025 ahead of the Annual Meeting to provide shareholders, analysts and other stakeholders more detailed information on the Company's strategic direction, recent business developments and financial performance, and updates on strategic initiatives. Members of management will also be available to answer investor questions. For those interested in attending, the Investor Presentation will begin at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. To attend either or both events, investors are requested to RSVP by Friday June 6, 2025, by visiting the following link: Upon submitting the RSVP form, investors and members of the finance community will receive a confirmation email that includes a unique QR code, which is required for entry into the Harvard Club. About Mtron M-tron Industries, Inc. (NYSE American: MPTI) was originally founded in 1965 and designs, manufactures and markets highly-engineered, high reliability frequency and spectrum control products and solutions. As an engineering-centric company, Mtron provides close support to its customers throughout our products' entire life cycle, including product design, prototyping, production and subsequent product upgrades. Mtron has design and manufacturing facilities in Orlando, Florida and Yankton, South Dakota, a sales office in Hong Kong, and a manufacturing facility in Noida, India. For more information, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Mtron Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
