Clare alumnus, honorary Fellow, and renowned scholar and author Henry Louis "Skip" Gates Jr. (1973), has been awarded the Spingarn Medal.

Established by the NAACP in 1914, the Spingarn Medal acknowledges the highest or noblest achievement by a living African American in any honorable field during the preceding year or years.

Skip Gates came to Clare as a Mellon Fellow from Yale in 1973 and stayed on to complete a PhD in English. He is now the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University. Additionally, Professor Gates has published numerous books, produced and hosted an array of Emmy-nominated documentary films, and aired the 10th season of his groundbreaking genealogy series 'Finding Your Roots.'

In receiving this medal, Gates joins an illustrious group of past recipients, including Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Maya Angelou. This recognition is a testament to his exceptional career and enduring legacy.