Historian John Hope Franklin will be the principal speaker at commencement on May 28.

“Franklin is an extraordinary African American historian,” said Vice President and Secretary of the University Peter Patton. “He’s been an incredibly distinguished spokesperson for civil rights and he received not just one nomination, but several nominations. We try to put in front of the student body people who are inspirational, role models, and give them something to aspire to.”

An accomplished author and educator, Franklin received his master’s and doctorate degrees in history from Harvard University. He has taught at a number of institutions, including Duke University and Howard University.
His published works include “From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African-Americans,” “The Emancipation Proclamation,” “The Militant South,” “The Free Negro in North Carolina,” “Reconstruction After the Civil War,” and “A Southern Odyssey: Travelers in the Ante-bellum North.” He has served as president of numerous organizations, amongst them the American Studies Association (1967), the United Chapters of Phi Beta Kappa (1973-76), and the American Historical Association (1979).

In 1980 he was a United States delegate to the 21st General Conference of UNESCO, initiating his international reputation. He has received many prestigious awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the NAACP Springam Medal. Franklin has received honorary degrees from more than one hundred academic institutions.

“I couldn’t be more excited about Professor Franklin being selected as the commencement speaker,” said David Stein ’06. “He has consistently challenged intellectual and social paradigms and seen how these are not separate challenges. The scope of his knowledge about the society is immens—he things he has seen in his years: the way in which many situations have remained the same and how certain things have changed.”

Although Benjamin Magarik ’06 knew little about Franklin before the announcement that he would speak at commencement, Magarik thinks he is a perfect speaker.

“He’s an activist,” Magarik said. “He’s an academic. He seems to be someone who moves between the world of ideas and practice, obtaining excellence in both. I couldn’t think of a better person to impart words of wisdom.”

Franklin will also be awarded an honorary doctor of letters degree. Also to receive honorary doctor of letters degrees at commencement are Mary O. McWilliams ’71 and Nobutaka Machimura.

McWilliams received a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from the University and is currently president of Regence BlueShield health care service contractor in Washington. She served as a trustee for 15 years.

“I’m thrilled but very humbled,” she said. “It never occurred to me that I would rise to this distinction.”

“Mary was in the vanguard class of women to graduate,” Patton said. “She has had a very prestigious career, and as we come up on the 175th anniversary, celebrating the history of women at Wesleyan is important.”

McWilliams echoed Patton’s sentiments.

“Wesleyan has been committed to women since the beginning,” she said. “Women in faculty and in leadership are very much in the fabric of the university.”

Machimura was a foreign exchange student at the University for one year and is now Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs.

The University will also award the Baldwin Medal, which is the highest alumni honor Wesleyan bestows, to Jean Shaw P’79 and Biff Shaw ’51, P’79. Jean is former director of the Center of the Arts and Biff has been a leader in his commitment to public service.

According to Patton, the announcement for honorary degree nominations was sent out in the fall.

“We asked for input from the entire community, particularly the senior class, faculty, and the board of trustees,” Patton said. “Once we have nominations, Doug [Bennet] looks over the list and meets with senior class officers, the executive committee of faculty, and the board of trustees to get input and make final decisions.”