Panel suggests preserving name of Winthrop House while enriching historical context

The Review Committee appointed to evaluate the appeal from participants to remove the name of John Winthrop House has submitted its findings to Harvard President Alan Garber and Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) Hopi Hoekstra. They have endorsed the committee’s advice to retain the “Winthrop” name while eliminating “John,” thereby formalizing the House’s name as Winthrop House.

In the report, the Review Committee elaborates on the origin of the John Winthrop name and the various factors considered in the request for renaming. Established in 1931, the House was named for Professor John Winthrop (1714-1779), Harvard’s second Hollis Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy and a two-time interim president. Archival documents examined by the committee indicated that Winthrop’s great-great-grandfather, Massachusetts Governor John Winthrop (1588-1649), is not the namesake of the House, despite previous assumptions. Nonetheless, the committee acknowledged that both Winthrops are connected with the House, and both possess complex legacies related to slavery, as discussed in the report.

Recognizing that Winthrop House was unique among the twelve residential Houses for having a full given name, the committee noted that omitting “John” would align it with the naming conventions of the other Houses, stating in their recommendations:

“Ultimately, the process of deliberating these inquiries led the committee to a richer understanding than mere straightforward answers. The meaningful engagement with Harvard and its history that we undertook did foster some pride. However, it also yielded a necessary discomfort with the implications of being associated with an institution whose history is lengthy, intricate, and at times troubling, and whose present is irrevocably linked to its past. This intricate relationship with our surroundings seems both fitting and fulfilling. Keeping in mind its mandate to approach history ‘through a lens of reckoning and not forgetting,’ the committee concluded that completely disassociating with Winthrop House would diminish the prospect for the broader Harvard community to confront the institution’s history in a similarly meaningful manner.”

Besides dropping “John” but retaining “Winthrop” in the House’s title, the committee suggested that FAS and Harvard College collaborate with Winthrop affiliates to explore innovative opportunities for residents and other community members to examine the House’s history and engage with its complexities—efforts set to commence over the summer and extend into future years.

Sean Kelly, the Teresa G. and Ferdinand F. Martignetti Professor of Philosophy and Harvard College Professor, and currently the FAS dean of Arts and Humanities, was appointed by Hoekstra to lead the committee, which included three senior faculty members (two from FAS and one from Harvard Law School), along with one senior FAS administrator and one senior University administrator.

The committee partook in extensive community dialogues to assess the renaming request, meeting as a group 22 times and conducting over 35 outreach discussions. They gathered more than 100 responses to an online survey designed to obtain anonymous feedback from the community.

While addressing the renaming request, the committee consulted with the petitioners, along with Winthrop residents, administrators, and alumni. Student organizations, including the Generational African American Students Association, the Black Students Association, and Natives at Harvard College, contributed to these discussions, as did descendants of the Winthrop family and members of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. To enhance their review of primary sources and literature, the committee also partnered with the New England Historical Genealogical Society, now recognized as American Ancestors, and collaborated with historians specializing in colonial New England, holding multiple discussions with faculty experts focused on the eras of both John Winthrops.

The committee’s exploration of the Winthrop name and legacy raised broader inquiries into how to navigate complex histories and dismantle barriers to belonging. Regarding these dilemmas, the committee stated:

“These persistent divisions cannot be resolved simply through the act of renaming; it will necessitate a multifaceted approach that encourages courageous inquiry about the complexities of our past in the present—and future—and a deeper commitment to the principles of belonging. Only then can we cultivate and uphold a ‘culture of belonging’ integral to how we learn, work, teach, and reside at Harvard.”

The complete report is available online at https://www.harvard.edu/denamingproposals/winthrop-house/.