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Harvard Crimson names Kristine Guillaume first black woman president in paper’s 145-year history

Kristine Guillaume, 2019 president of The Harvard CrimsonAmy Y. Li/The Harvard Crimson Inc.

Harvard junior Kristine E. Guillaume will be the first black woman to serve as president of The Harvard Crimson in the newspaper’s 145-year run, the Crimson announced Monday evening

As president, Guillaume will serve as a liaison between the editorial and business departments of the organization and focus on the long-term direction of the publication, which boasts approximately 320 staffers.

Just months after Harvard’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals announced it would add female performers to its casts for the first time in its 170-plus years, Guillaume is cognizant of her history-making role.

“I’m definitely proud to be a part of making the Crimson a more welcoming place, and to step into this role as the first black woman,” Guillaume said. “If by taking this role, I help affirm another Crimson staffer’s sense of belonging and ownership over the work that they do, I think that makes all of the hard work worth it.”

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Guillaume will replace outgoing president Derek G. Xiao.

Guillaume has served as one of the Crimson’s Central Administration reporters, as well as one of three chairs of the Crimson’s Diversity and Inclusivity committee, tasked with overseeing the paper’s initiatives to foster diversity and welcome students of all backgrounds.

As president, Guillaume will have to reckon with an ever-changing media landscape and the difficulties faced by print publications, just like any other decision maker at a journalistic enterprise.

Kevin Slane, Boston.com


Kevin Slane can be reached at kevin.slane@boston.com.