Colson Whitehead Pulls Out as UMass Commencement Speaker

The two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead said Thursday he wouldn’t give a planned commencement speech at the University of Massachusetts Amherst later this month after school leadership’s decision to call the police to clear out an encampment of student protesters.

“I was looking forward to speaking next week at UMass Amherst. But calling the cops on peaceful protesters is a shameful act,” Whitehead said in a statement on the social network Bluesky. “I have to withdraw as your commencement speaker. I give all my best wishes and congratulations to the class of ’24 and pray for the safety of the Palestinian people, the return of the hostages, and an end to this terrible war.”

A spokesperson for the university, Ed Blaguszewski, said in a statement that they respected Whitehead’s decision. “The ceremony will proceed without a commencement speaker this year,” he said.

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