Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Delivers UPenn’s Commencement Address

Over the weekend, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie became the first black woman in 42 years to deliver a Commencement Day speech at the University of Pennsylvania.

The Nigerian writer was introduced by the school’s president Amy Gutmann, Chimamanda, a historical moment for the Ivy League school.

The last Commencement address by a black woman was in 1978, when then-US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Patricia Harris spoke to the graduating students.

In her virtual speech, Adichie talked about the strange times we now live in.

She said:

These may be strange times – they certainly are for me – but I want to urge you to remember that there is so much to celebrate. You’ve done it. You’ve graduated. Congratulations.

Watch her give her speech below:

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Nigerian author and international speaker @chimamanda_adichie on Monday, became the first black woman to deliver University of Pennsylvania's Commencement address since 1978, when then-US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Patricia Harris did so 42 years ago. . . #MuchTalksBlog

A post shared by MuchTalksBlog (@muchtalksblog) on May 20, 2020 at 3:33am PDT