“Black Lives Matter” Sign Ordered Removed from Professors’ Office Windows at Harvard
CAMBRIDGE, MA - August 22, 2025 Harvard University administrators have directed two professors - Bence P. Ölveczky and Mansi Srivastava, both from the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology - to remove the large block-lettered “Black Lives Matter” display from their office windows in the Northwest Science Building by Saturday. The message, a fixture since the nationwide protests following George Floyd’s death in 2020, was cited as violating updated campus use rules introduced in August 2024. These prohibit any “self-mounted displays” without prior approval from the relevant school office. That rule applies regardless of message content.
The requirement to remove the sign came via a letter from building manager Anthony Mantia, delivered by Science Dean Jeffrey W. Lichtman. The sign was not formally approved by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, which oversees that building.
However, FAS campus curator Brenda D. Tindal has recognized the lettering as culturally significant and is considering preserving it in the Harvard archives.
The professors dispute the removal order and point to guidance issued by FAS Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra in October 2024. That guidance states that customary signage inside individual offices or private work areas - such as the BLM lettering - should not be disallowed.
Critics argue this action appears hypocritical, given Harvard’s longstanding support for free speech. Many sense the timing coincides with heightened scrutiny of DEI initiatives from political leaders, including the Trump administration - prompting concern that even mild statements like “Black Lives Matter” may be suppressed.