Honoring Excellence at Harvard: Reflections on the 2026 W. E. B. Du Bois Medal Ceremony- Ambassador Sean Bardoo

It was an honor to join scholars, artists, and leaders at Harvard University for the 2026 W. E. B. Du Bois Medal ceremony, an evening devoted to achievement in entertainment, humanitarian service, philanthropy, civil rights, education, and culture. The ceremony took place on October 8 at Sanders Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was organized by the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research.

The medal is Harvard’s highest honor in African and African American studies, and it carries the name of a man whose influence is hard to overstate. W. E. B. Du Bois earned his doctorate at Harvard in 1895 and went on to challenge racial inequality, champion education, and insist that scholarship and organized leadership could change society. Sitting in that theatre, I was reminded how much of today’s work in human rights and education rests on foundations he helped lay. This year’s eight honorees came from very different professions, yet each has shaped communities and public life far beyond the boundaries of their own careers.

Angela Bassett was among them, and her recognition felt especially well earned. Across several decades she has become one of the most respected actresses of her generation, bringing a rare combination of strength and depth to every role. Her portrayal of Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do with It earned her international acclaim, and her work in Malcolm X, Waiting to Exhale, and Black Panther has shown how fully she can inhabit characters defined by resilience and leadership. Her impact reaches beyond the screen. Through the authenticity of her performances, she has widened opportunities for Black performers and deepened public appreciation for African American history and identity.

American actress Angela Bassett

 & Ambassador Sean Bardoo

American actor- Courtney B. Vance 

with Ambassador Sean Bardoo

Her family has been part of that journey. Angela has been married since October 1997 to Courtney B. Vance, an accomplished actor whose career spans theater, television, and film and who won an Emmy for his portrayal of Johnnie Cochran in The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story. They are the parents of twins, Bronwyn Golden and Slater Josiah, born in January 2006. Two demanding careers and a lasting partnership, side by side, are a good reminder that public achievement is rarely a solitary effort and is usually sustained by the people closest to it.

I was equally struck by the other honorees. Didier Drogba, the Ivorian football legend, has used his foundation to support healthcare, education, and opportunity for vulnerable communities, particularly across Africa. Mavis Staples, through the Staple Singers and her solo career, gave the civil rights movement one of its most enduring voices. Theaster Gates was recognized for an artistic practice that joins cultural preservation with the revitalization of neglected neighborhoods. Reed Hastings, co-founder of Netflix, was honored for transforming global entertainment and for his philanthropy in education, while James Manyika was recognized for his work on technology, economic research, and the questions artificial intelligence raises for society. Lena Waithe has expanded representation in film and television and opened doors for voices the industry long overlooked. The late Fletcher “Flash” Wiley, an attorney, business leader, and civic advocate, was honored posthumously for a lifetime of service to his profession and his community.

I was also glad to see Harvard President Alan M. Garber and Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., director of the Hutchins Center, among those in attendance. Professor Gates’s leadership has done a great deal to advance African and African American scholarship and to preserve the cultural record that makes evenings like this meaningful.

The occasion resonated with me personally. My own work in humanitarian diplomacy, legal advocacy, human rights, and education has convinced me of the value of international cooperation, cross-cultural understanding, and the public recognition of people whose efforts create lasting change. Ceremonies like this one do more than celebrate individuals; they encourage the next generation to pursue leadership and service.

I extend my warmest congratulations to Angela Bassett, Didier Drogba, Mavis Staples, Theaster Gates, Reed Hastings, James Manyika, Lena Waithe, and the family of the late Fletcher “Flash” Wiley. My thanks also go to Harvard University and the Hutchins Center for keeping the legacy of W. E. B. Du Bois alive through scholarship and public recognition. The honorees spanned Hollywood, humanitarian work in Africa, technology, and civil rights advocacy, and together they showed that real influence is measured less by the honors received than by the opportunities created and the communities strengthened along the way.

Ambassador Sean Bardoo