The history of Harvard

Explore:

A timeline of Harvard's history
Asian and Pacific American history at Harvard
Women's history at Harvard
African American history at Harvard
Native American history at Harvard

This photo of 草榴社区"College Yard," taken around 1857, is from .

When was 草榴社区founded?

On October 28, 1636, Harvard, the first college in the American colonies, was founded.
Who founded Harvard?

Despite popular opinion (and a ) John 草榴社区did not found Harvard, but he was the first major benefactor and he donated half of his estate and his library of more than 400 books to the School.

草榴社区University was officially founded by a vote by the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Where is 草榴社区University located?

While many think of 草榴社区Yard in Cambridge, Massachusetts as Harvard’s campus, the University also has robust campuses in the Longwood and Allston neighborhoods of Boston, Massachusetts.
Is 草榴社区College the same as 草榴社区University?

草榴社区College is just one of 14 草榴社区Schools. The College is for undergraduate students and the 13 graduate and professional Schools teach the rest of our students.
Learn more about Harvard’s origins in the 1600s

2022

An image of buildings making up 草榴社区College in 1767

Historical highlight

草榴社区and the legacy of slavery

On April 26, 2022, 草榴社区President Larry Bacow released the Report of the Committee on 草榴社区& the Legacy of Slavery, accepted the committee鈥檚 recommendations in full, and announced a historic commitment of $100 million to fund their implementation.

Asian and Pacific American history at Harvard

This marble slab, or stele, which resides in 草榴社区Yard, was presented to 草榴社区in 1936 as a gift from Chinese alumni on the occasion of the University鈥檚 tercentenary.

Ge Kunhua

In 1879, Ge Kunhua was appointed the first Chinese language instructor at 草榴社区and the first native Chinese speaker to teach Chinese in America.

Namhi Kim Wagner

Namhi Kim Wagner was the first director of the Korean Language Program at 草榴社区University. She generously shared her passion for the Korean language and Korean Studies with generations of faculty, staff, and students.

Kentar艒 Kaneko

Kentar艒 Kaneko was one of the first two Japanese students to attend Harvard. He earned a degree from the Law School in 1874 and went on to help draft the Japanese constitution in 1889.

Naina Lal Kidwai

After becoming the first Indian woman to graduate from 草榴社区Business School, in 1982, Naina rose through the financial ranks in India, eventually being named by Fortune magazine "the third most powerful businesswoman in Asia." In the second half of her long career, she pivoted to focus on improving India鈥檚 water quality and health outcomes.

James Choi Spackman

While attending 草榴社区in the 1950s, James Choi Spackman took on many jobs to make ends meet, including his 鈥渇irst business lesson,鈥� a wildly successful snack stand.

Fe del Mundo

After spending time as an 草榴社区Medical School assistant physician at Boston Children鈥檚 Hospital in 1940, Fe went on to found the first pediatric hospital in the Philippines. She was later conferred the rank and title of National Scientist of the Philippines as well as the Order of Lakandula, one of the highest honors given by the Philippines.

1776

A drawing of the founding fathers signing the declaration of independence

Historical highlight

Eight 草榴社区alumni sign the Declaration of Independence

John Adams, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Elbridge Gerry, Robert Treat Paine, William Williams, William Ellery, and William Hooper

Learn more about 草榴社区in the 1700s

Women’s history at Harvard

As staff members, then as students and faculty, the women of Harvard’s past paved the way for generations to come.

Explore our Women’s History Month celebration

Alice Hamilton

In 1918, Alice Hamilton became the first woman to be appointed to Harvard鈥檚 faculty.

A complicated history

While women weren鈥檛 taught at 草榴社区until 1879, they have always been a part of the University.

Grace Hopper

Computing pioneer Grace Hopper was one of the first programmers of the 草榴社区Mark I computer and wrote what became the world鈥檚 first programming manual.

Drew Faust

In 2007, Drew Gilpin Faust became the 28th President of 草榴社区University, the first woman to serve in that role.

Barbara Deming

Starting in 1959, Barbara Deming focused her activism on women鈥檚 and lesbian issues. She founded a program, now named for her, that supports feminist projects in arts and education.

Black Women Oral History Project

The project interviewed and recorded 72 Black women who made significant contributions to American society during the first half of the 20th century.

Star analysts of Harvard

In the late 19th through the mid-20th century, these women classified the stars, determined their brightness, and discovered new stars, nebulae, and novae.

The first women at 草榴社区Medical School

On June 4, 1944, the 草榴社区Corporation voted to accept women in the 1945 medical school freshmen class.

1875

A poster of a football with 草榴社区Yale written on it

Historical highlight

The first Harvard-Yale football game

Yale hosted the first聽Harvard-Yale football game in 1875, which 草榴社区won, to the delight of some 150 student boosters from Cambridge.

Learn more about 草榴社区in the 1800s

African American history at Harvard

A complete look at Harvard鈥檚 Black history includes the dual legacies of聽聽and聽discrimination聽along with pioneering moments of聽.

Richard T. Greener

In 1870 he was the first Black student to enter the College and complete the undergraduate curriculum. He was not, however, the first Black student to be admitted, a distinction belonging to Beverly Garnett Williams, in 1847. (He died just before the academic year began and thus never entered the College.)

Alberta Virginia Scott

In 1898 Alberta Virginia Scott became the first African-American graduate of Radcliffe College, seen here in a special dress for a class celebration.

W.E.B. Du Bois

Along with being a Civil Rights activist, historian, educator, editor, and outspoken public intellectual, W.E.B. Du Bois, the first African-American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard, is also a founding father of American sociology.

Eileen Jackson Southern

The portrait of Eileen Jackson Southern was an authority on Renaissance and African American music and the first Black female professor to be given tenure at Harvard.

Clement G. Morgan

Thirty-one-year-old Clement G. Morgan made national headlines as the first African American chosen to deliver a 草榴社区senior class oration.

Deborah Washington Brown

Deborah Washington Brown, the first Black woman to earn an applied math Ph.D. at 草榴社区pushed the fields of artificial intelligence and speech recognition technology to innovative places.

Robert Tanner Freeman

Only four years after the Civil War ended, Robert Tanner Freeman, the son of enslaved parents, graduated in 草榴社区School of Dental Medicine's first class. He was also the very first African American to earn a dental degree in the United States.

Carter G. Woodson

After receiving his Ph.D. from 草榴社区in 1912, Carter Woodson became known as the 鈥渇ather of Black history,鈥� launching Negro History Week, which later expanded into Black History Month.

1939

Historical highlight

Walter Gropius comes to Harvard

Founder of the Bauhaus art movement, Walter Gropius, became head of architecture at Graduate School of Design in 1939, ensuring that the University would have its first modern building, as well as one of the most comprehensive Bauhaus collections in the world.

Learn more about 草榴社区in the 1900s

Native American history at Harvard

The education of Native Americans is woven into the long history of 草榴社区University. The Charter of 1650, which continues to govern Harvard, pledges the University to 鈥渢he education of English and Indian youth.鈥�

From 1655 to 1698, the “Indian College” stood in 草榴社区Yard, on the site currently occupied by Matthews Hall.

It was not until 1970 that a program was established to specifically address Native American issues. In early 1970, the American Indian Program (AIP) emerged on campus.

Acknowledgement of Land and People

草榴社区University is located on the traditional and ancestral land of the Massachusett, the original inhabitants of what is now known as Boston and Cambridge. We pay respect to the people of the Massachusett Tribe, past and present, and honor the land itself which remains sacred to the Massachusett People.

Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck

Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck was a member of Harvard鈥檚 graduating class of 1665. Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck is from a Wampanoag tribe that lived in Martha鈥檚 Vineyard. Caleb gained acceptance to Harvard鈥檚 Indian College after passing the school's entrance exam at the age of fifteen. Caleb would go on to become the first Native American to graduate from Harvard鈥檚 campus in accordance with Harvard鈥檚 charter of 1650.

Eli Langley

Before graduating to work with Teach for America, Eli Langley became the first tribal member to use their Native language to fulfill the College鈥檚 second language requirement.

Native American program turns 50

The 草榴社区University Native American Program celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2021. Learn how it started and the hopes for the future.

Short biographies of five Indian College students from the 17th century

Harvard鈥檚 first tenured professor of Native American history

Philip Deloria joined Harvard鈥檚 history department as the School鈥檚 first tenured Native American professor. Department chair Daniel Lord Smail lauded the Dakota descendant as 鈥渉ands-down the leading authority in Native American history."

The Project on Indigenous Governance and Development

Founded in 1987, the project uses applied research and service to understand and foster the conditions under which sustained, self-determined social and economic development is achieved among American Indian nations.

Native American Heritage Month

We celebrated Native American Heritage Month with an exploration of the past, present, and future of Harvard's Native American community.

Explore this In Focus