Gail Gerhart '61 receives Presidential Medal of Honor from South Africa

Congratulations to Professor Gail Gerhart, who was recently honored with The Order of the Companions of OR Tambo by the Presidency of South Africa. The award recognizes foreigners who have made significant contributions to the country and people of South Africa, in Dr. Gerhart’s case, for her enormous contribution to the struggle for liberation with her writing and keeping records of the heroic acts of freedom fighters. The Medal of Honor ceremony was held on November 18 in Pretoria with President Cyril Ramaphosa handing out the awards; accepting Dr. Gerhart’s Order in Silver on her behalf was family friend and former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke.

 

Dr. Gerhart has spent her whole academic career researching and writing about African resistance to apartheid and has published extensively about the liberation struggle. She originally got interested in South Africa when she was in the 8th grade at Brearley; there was a South African exchange student in the 12th grade, and she became fascinated with her stories about living in Africa. 

 

Former recipients of The Order of the Companions of OR Tambo include Fidel Castro, Mahatma Gandhi, Harry Belafonte and Maxime Waters. To watch a video of the ceremony, please click on this YouTube link; Dr. Gerhart’s award is announced at about 1 hour and 25 minutes.