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Class Day Speakers

Class Day speakers at Harvard

Note: The Senior Class Committee began inviting its own speaker to Class Day in 1968. All professional designations are as of the date of the speaker’s Class Day address.

YearSpeakerSpeaker’s background
2012 Andy Samberg, Barney Frank Saturday Night Live cast member (video), and Massachusetts Congressman (video), respectively (article)
2011 Amy Poehler Star of ‘Parks and Recreation’ (speech)
2010 Christiane Amanpour International television correspondent (speech)
2009 Matt Lauer co-anchor of NBC News’ ‘Today’ (speech)
2008 Ben S. Bernanke Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (article)
2007 William Jefferson Clinton Former President of the United States (article)
2006 Seth MacFarlane Creater and executive producer, "Family Guy" (article)
2005 Tim Russert NBC News Washington bureau chief and "Meet the Press" moderator, speech
2004 Ali G (Sacha Baron Cohen) Star of HBO's "Da Ali G Show" (article)
2003 Will Ferrell Comedian and former "Saturday Night Live" star, speech
2002 Al Franken '73 Comedian and former "Saturday Night Live" writer, speech
2001 Bono lead singer of the rock band U2, speech
2000 Conan O'Brien '85 host of NBC's Late Night
1999 Alan Simpson Director, Institute of Politics, John F. Kennedy School of Government
1998 William F. Weld '66 Former Governor, Massachusetts
1997 Quincy Jones Producer, Composer, Musician
1996 Tom Brokaw NBC News Anchor
1995 Hank Aaron Baseball Legend
1994 Lani Guinier Law Professor, University of Pennsylvania
1993 Marian Wright Edelman President, Children's Defense Fund
1992 Scott Turow Author
1991 Timothy E. Wirth '61 Senator, Colorado
1990 John David Brewington Harvard Senior
1989 Jane Pauley Television Anchorwoman
1988 Tom Wolfe Author
1987 Michael Dukakis Governor, Massachusetts
1986 Peter V. Ueberroth Commissioner of Baseball
1985 Mario Cuomo Governor, New York
1984 Ted Koppel Journalist
1983 Garry Trudeau Cartoonist
1982 Mother Teresa Nobel Prize Laureate
1981 Ralph Nader Consumer Activist
1980 Walter Cronkite Television Anchorman
1979 Theodore H. White '38 Author
1978 Rodney Dangerfield Comedian
1977 George Plimpton Author
1976 Art Buchwald Columnist
1975 Dick Gregory Social Critic, Comedian
1974 Eliot Richardson Former Attorney-General
1973 Arthur Miller Playwright
1972 Tom Wicker Editor, The New York Times
1971 Jimmy Breslin Journalist, Author
1970 J. Herbert Holloman President of the University of Oklahoma
1969 Sander Vanocur NBC commentator
1968 Coretta Scott King Wife of the political leader and activist Martin Luther King, Jr. (King accepted the invitation before he was assassinated in April. His wife spoke in his place.)
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