Journalist Juan Williams, a political commentator for Fox News and NPR, will be delivering the commencement address during Whitman’s May 23 graduation ceremony.

Williams, who was born in Panama but spent most of his childhood in New York, graduated from Haverford College in 1976 with a degree in philosophy. Since then, he has worked as a journalist for a number of national publications; aside from his 23-year tenure as a correspondent for the Washington Post, Williams has written pieces for the Wall Street Journal, Time, the Atlantic Monthly and the New York Times. He is the author of multiple books that address issues of African American history and contemporary African American leadership.

“Students expect to hear from someone whose ideas will challenge them,” President George Bridges said about the school’s selection of Williams as this year’s commencement speaker. He said that Williams was selected from a list of speakers compiled from names solicited last year from students, faculty and staff.

Bridges added that he was personally drawn to Williams because of the focus of Williams’ work as a journalist and writer and, as a graduate of Haverford, his familiarity with liberal arts colleges.

“Much of my own scholarly work has examined the role of race in American institutions and I was intrigued by some of Williams’ contributions to our understanding of the African Americans experience and the civil rights movement,” said Bridges.
Williams has fallen under criticism for some of this work, especially within the African American community. Some critics maintain that he is too harsh on the contemporary African American leadership. Writing last year in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, columnist Tony Norman summed up the charges in an opinion piece.

“Three years ago, Mr. Williams published ‘Enough: The Phony Leaders, Dead End-Movements and Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black America,’ a jeremiad about black folks that makes Bill Cosby look like Huey Newton,” wrote Norman. Huey Newton was a founding member of the Black Panthers.

Regardless of sentiments like Norman’s, the Whitman community has for the most part responded positively to the selection of Williams as commencement speaker.

“I’ve received far more positive e-mails than negative ones,” Bridges said.

Many students said they were unfamiliar with Williams.

Among the few who were familiar with him, there was satisfaction with the choice. Senior Jackson Cahn said he was looking forward to hearing what Williams had to say.

“I’ve heard him on NPR,” said Cahn. “He’s articulate there, so he should be a good speaker.”

For these students, the controversy surrounding Williams was not an issue. In fact, senior Autumn McCartan, said that in her opinion, Williams’ nontraditional views were a plus.

“We’re going into the world, and we’re breaking the Whitman bubble, and there will be differences of opinion,” said McCartan. “I think it’s important to acknowledge that, and what better day than commencement?”