{"id":2800,"date":"2020-02-10T14:23:41","date_gmt":"2020-02-10T19:23:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.harvard.edu\/loebmusic\/?p=2800"},"modified":"2020-02-12T14:43:26","modified_gmt":"2020-02-12T19:43:26","slug":"harvard-honors-jessye-norman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/loebmusic\/2020\/02\/10\/harvard-honors-jessye-norman\/","title":{"rendered":"Harvard Honors Jessye Norman"},"content":{"rendered":"

For this post we would like to celebrate honors received by Jessye Norman, who passed away in September 2019, starting with the honorary doctorate she received from Harvard in June, 1988. This was one of many honorary doctorates she received during her lifetime. At this time in Harvard-Radcliffe history, Radcliffe College was still awarding degrees to female students, as it was the female coordinate institution for the all-male Harvard College. Although an agreement was signed to combine admissions offices in 1977, a full absorption of Radcliffe College into Harvard University did not happen until 1999.<\/p>\n

This photograph of Jessye Norman was taken during the convocation events.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Jessye<\/a><\/p>\n

Standing in the center of the following photograph is Oscar Arias S\u00e1nchez, President of Costa Rica, the recipient of the other honorary doctorate given that year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Eight<\/a><\/p>\n

In 1997, Norman <\/span>received the Radcliffe Medal<\/span><\/a>, given annually to individuals whose lives and work have had a transformative impact on society. It was given to Norman at the Radcliffe Annual Alumnae Association Luncheon. An <\/span>audiocassette of the luncheon<\/span><\/a> is available by appointment only in the Schlesinger Library. Also bestowed the honor was musician Lena Horne, a recipient in 1987.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Harvard wasn\u2019t finished giving Norman awards. In 2016, she was <\/span>awarded the W.E.B Dubois Medal<\/span><\/a> honoring those who have made significant contributions to African and African American History and Culture. The award was presented at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research W.E.B. Du Bois Medal Ceremony at Harvard University, <\/span>available on YouTube<\/span><\/a>. As part of the ceremony, Ingrid Monson, Quincy Jones Professor of African-American Music at Harvard, read a passage about the power and necessity of music, from W.E.B. Du Bois \u201cThe Sorrow Songs\u201d from his seminal work <\/span>The Souls of Black Folk<\/span><\/i><\/a>. Lana MC Lyte\u2019 Moorer, an acclaimed female hip-hop musician, was also presented the award in the same year for her contribution to music.<\/span><\/p>\n