Evelyn Harris sings the national anthem during a July 4 naturalization ceremony in Northampton. The musician has relinquished an honorary degree from Smith College after it was discovered that parts of her speech given at commencement on Sunday were plagiarized.
GAZETTE FILE PHOTO
NORTHAMPTON — Musician Evelyn Harris has relinquished an honorary degree after it was discovered that parts of her speech given at Smith College’s commencement on Sunday were plagiarized, according to letter sent to the campus community by Smith College President Sarah Willie-LeBreton.
Harris, known as one of the Pioneer Valley’s foremost resident musicians, as well as a composer and activist, was one of four honorary degree recipients speaking before Smith College’s class of 2025, joining the likes of Harvard professor Danielle Allen, journalist Preeti Simran Sethi and former Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine.
In her letter Tuesday, Willie-LeBreton informed the college community that Harris had agreed to relinquish her honorary degree after it became known to Smith officials that parts of her commencement speech had been plagiarized.
“It has come to our attention that one of our honorary degree recipients — musician Evelyn M. Harris — borrowed much of her speech to graduates and their families from the commencement speeches of others without the attribution typical of and central to the ideals of academic integrity,” Willie-LeBreton wrote in the letter, which was sent by email. “In conversations about this after the event, Ms. Harris was forthcoming about her choices while also acknowledging that she sought to infuse the words of others with her own emotional valence.”
Harris is best known for having been a longtime member of Sweet Honey in the Rock, an acclaimed African-American female a cappella group that she first joined in 1974 and counted herself as a member of for 18 years. Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Harris currently performs with the local band StompBoxTrio and teaches at the Northampton Community Music Center. She’s become well-known locally for appearing in numerous events over the years, such as performing gospel music to honor Black History Month at College Church or singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at a Fourth of July naturalization ceremony.
Carolyn McDaniel, a spokesperson for Smith College, declined to comment on how the school learned of and determined Harris had plagiarized her speech or from what material, sending only a statement from the school mirroring the contents of Willie-LeBreton’s letter.
“With appreciation for the requirement of academic integrity so central to the values of Smith, Ms. Harris has chosen to relinquish her honorary degree,” Willie-LeBreton’s letter continued. “It is with gratitude and respect for the long and generative contributions Evelyn Harris has made to music and culture, both nationally and internationally, that I have respectfully accepted her decision.”
Harris could not be immediately reached for comment. Smith College has stated that a new version of commencement ceremony highlights would be on the school’s website to reflect the change.
Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.
