ImeIme A. Umana made history when she became the first female African American president of The Harvard Review. The native of Harrisburg, PA, Umana will be the 131st leader of the organization. As an undergraduate, Umana majored in government and African American studies and also served as president of the Institute of Politics.
ImeIme Umana will be the first black woman to serve as President of @HarvLRev, the journal announced Monday. https://t.co/JF05ju3bfb
— The Harvard Crimson (@thecrimson) February 1, 2017
According to The Harvard Crimson, outgoing president of the legal journal, Mark L. Zuckerman wrote in an email, “ImeIme is one of the most brilliant, thoughtful, and caring people I’ve ever met, and the Law Review is in phenomenally good hands.”
In order to be considered for the prestigious position, the top candidates must answer questions from several editors, submit written responses and participate in mock editorial activities. “This year’s field of 12 candidates featured eight women and eight people of color,” said Zuckerman. He also goes on to describe the election as a historic event, stating, “For a field in which women and people of color have for too much of our past been marginalized or underrepresented, her election is an important and encouraging step toward a richer and more inclusive legal conversation.”
Umana will oversee over 90 student editors and permanent staff members of The Harvard Review. The elated former president also applauded Umana on her efforts in advance. “Knowing ImeIme, I can’t wait to applaud her in a year’s time for the extraordinary work that I am certain she will do,” he said.
This isn’t the first time the law journal shared a historical moment- in 1990 Barack Obama became the first African American man elected as president of the Harvard Law Review.
