Turning point at Harvard: for the first time in its centuries of history, the oldest university in America has an African-American president.
Claudine Gay, daughter of Haitian immigrants, will take the reins of the most prestigious and richest university in America, which recently made mea culpa for the role its professors had in perpetuating the scourge of slavery.
A PhD in political science, Gay was previously dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences: she will succeed Lawrence Bacow, who announced his resignation in June.
Harvard has already had a female president in Drew Faust, but never had an African American person occupied the most important role in the university.
The appointment comes as Harvard prepares for a major Supreme Court decision on affirmative action, the quota policy under which disadvantaged and discriminated against minorities receive special consideration in access to schools, an issue on which the Gay she is an expert.