We are Harvard alumni standing up for academic freedom at Harvard and beyond.

Higher education and academic freedom are under assault.

Harvard’s bold and principled risk in standing up for a free democratic society has already inspired other universities to do the same.

We hope you are moved to join the Crimson Courage community and to help us in our urgent defense of our alma mater and higher education across the nation. Please also consider an unrestricted donation of any amount to Harvard to signal that you support the university.

Who We Are

Crimson Courage was founded by a group of alumni to support Harvard’s independence despite financial and other unconstitutional threats from the federal government. Now we are a growing, non-partisan community of alumni from all Harvard schools standing up for academic freedom and constitutional rights at Harvard and in higher education nationally. We are working to establish a coalition of alumni from colleges and universities across the nation to protect independent higher education from overreach by the federal government.

(Click here to  learn more about the risks to Harvard research caused by the government’s funding freeze.)

Join Our Community

By joining the grassroots Crimson Courage community, you gain opportunities to:

  • Support Harvard’s freedom from government interference;

  • Endorse academic freedom and freedom of speech;

  • Oppose federal efforts to suppress voices, censor vital scholarship, and diminish the presence of varied populations and viewpoints;

  • Improve on-campus communication and mutual respect among people from different backgrounds; 

  • Collaborate with other universities and organizations in advocacy for independent higher education nationally; and

  • Add your voice to the dialogue surrounding issues of academic independence across the nation.

Upcoming Event

Webinar: Harvard and Higher Education Under Assault

Tuesday, May 27th at 7 p.m. EDT on Zoom

Harvard University, higher education, and academic freedom are under assault. On Tuesday, May 27th, at 7:00 p.m. EDT, Crimson Courage—a nonpartisan group of Harvard alumni—will host a free webinar open to all members of the Harvard community.

Please register in advance to attend:

Speakers will include:

  • Maura Healey, Massachusetts Governor, Harvard A.B. 1992

  • E.J. Dionne, Jr., Washington Post columnist and Georgetown University professor of political science, Harvard A.B. 1973

  • William Kristol, The Bulwark, Harvard A.B. 1973, PhD 1979

  • Antonio Delgado, New York Lieutenant Governor, Harvard J.D. 2005

  • Todd Wolfson, President, American Association of University Professors

  • Danielle Allen, University Professor and Director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation at HKS Ash Center. Harvard M.A., 1998, Ph.D. 2001

  • Randall Kennedy, Michael R. Klein Professor at HLS

  • Anurima Bhargava, Founder and CEO, Anthem of Us, Former Chief of Educational Opportunities Section, US Department of Justice, Harvard A.B. 1996

The program will include information on Harvard’s lawsuit in defense of higher education and the fundamental legal and constitutional issues involved.

Members of the Crimson Courage community will also present opportunities to support Harvard’s:

  • Freedom from government interference;

  • Academic freedom and freedom of speech; and

  • Work to improve communication and mutual respect among people from different backgrounds.

In addition, you will learn how to join alumni who oppose efforts to suppress voices, censor vital scholarship, and diminish the presence of varied populations and viewpoints. Crimson Courage is building coalitions with other universities and organizations in their advocacy for independent higher education nationally.

We hope you will join us to learn what you can do to support Harvard in its fight against government overreach and its stand for the rule of law.

Register now and please feel free to share this invitation with your own Harvard network.

  • “Harvard University has 400,000 alumni from a wide range of intellectual disciplines. Collectively, we have the ability to make a profound impact both at Harvard and beyond at this pivotal moment in our history. Supporting Harvard is just one step in the democratic renewal urgently needed in the United States and beyond.”

    – Hunter Maats, A.B. Harvard 2004, co-founder of Crimson Courage

  • “Our commitment to living by the Harvard motto ‘veritas’ does not stop when we complete our studies. The attacks on Harvard University and institutions of higher education across the country mirror the moves we see in authoritarian regimes that seek to suppress knowledge and independent thought. These attempts to erode the academic independence of universities across the country is part of a larger, systemic attack on our democracy. As alumni, we must organize together to support Harvard in its effort to stand up as a pillar of democracy, freedom, and truth.”

    - Jessica Tang, ‘04 HGSE ‘06, co-founder of Crimson Courage

  • “I see the current moment as an unprecedented opportunity for Harvard College alumni to inspire Harvard to fulfill the College’s mission of educating the citizens and citizen-leaders of our society through their commitment to the transformative power of a liberal arts and sciences education. I believe Harvard cannot fulfill its mission of transformation without courage from its alumni, faculty, staff, and community.”

    - Dr. Christina Jenq '04