The December 1 Zoom exchange organized by and for members of Yale’s undergraduate class of 1964–now available by YouTube recording–had a hint of the divide I described in my 2015 book on the class, but mostly there was agreement that affirmative action for university admissions is on its way out and the job now was … Continue reading Revisiting the Past, Yale ’64 Confronts the Future of Civil Rights Should Affirmative Action be Overruled…
Yale64
In Revisiting the Civil Rights Movement, ’64’s Experience is Central
As the nation has revisited the glory days of the civil rights movement over the past year—the Civil Rights acts of 1964 and 1965, Freedom Summer, 1964, and Selma—we have been reminded of a special moment in time when a growing demand from whites as well as African Americans for equal justice overwhelmed resistance to … Continue reading In Revisiting the Civil Rights Movement, ’64’s Experience is Central…
Fifty Years Out, the Graduates of ’64 Have Much to Reflect On
Fifty year anniversaries offer special opportunities for public reflection. For those old enough to remember, there is always the chance for gaining perspective over past experience and its consequences. For younger people, there is the opportunity to learn about the ways the past has helped shape contemporary life. 2014 has supported a particularly robust series … Continue reading Fifty Years Out, the Graduates of ’64 Have Much to Reflect On…
Keystone XL Again
While Yale ’64’s Gus Speth could take some solace in President Obama’s decision to postpone a decision on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline that threatens severe damage to the environment, Republicans in Congress have been trying to force the project through by by attaching it to a proposed extension of the payroll tax cut. Not … Continue reading Keystone XL Again…
Still Corrupt and Still Contented?
My essay appearing in the Inquirer today had the narrow objective of placing Lincoln Steffens’ famous phrase, “Corrupt and Contented,” as it related to Philadelphia in the early 20th century. Clearly the phrase still resonates when applied to the city, but it has a broader resonance both for the early 20th century and our own … Continue reading Still Corrupt and Still Contented?…
Keystone XL Pipeline Challenge to Obama & the Planet
As director of Jimmy Carter’s Council on Environmental Quality, Yale ‘64’s Gus Speth was one of the first and most prominent government officials to call attention to the potentially disastrous effects of global warming. Nearly a quarter century later, as he held the position of dean of Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, he … Continue reading Keystone XL Pipeline Challenge to Obama & the Planet…