Diary Prequel Package — page 455

Terrific trip and experiences. Dinner on May 19 at the home of President Lee Bollinger of Columbia right at 116 and Amsterdam Avenue to salute and fest the honorary doctorate recipients. I was asked to give (as were the others) 2-3 minute acceptance remarks. I spoke about the need to not slack off, but to end the AIDS pandemic with the implementation of tools that we already have. I mentioned that history will judge us harshly if we squander the opportunity to end this historic plague. The best part of the evening was meeting and hearing about the other honorees: Milos Forman -- Academy Award Director X2 for "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" and Amadeus". He was not there due to illness. David Levering Lewis --I got to speak with him the most. Famed historian who won iuultiple Pulitzer prizes (among other prizes) for his 1970 biography "W-.E.B. DuBois: Biography of a Race. 1868-1919 and his 2001 follow-up biography "W.E.B. DuBois: The Fight for Equality and the American century, 1919-1963. Light-skinned AfricanAmerican. Extremely scholarly and charming. I really liked him. He introduced me to hi Agent and Editor -- Robert Weil -- who expressed interest in being my agent/editor for any book that I might write. Albie Sachs -- Historic hero of anti-Apartheid. Lawyer who defended fighters in "The Struggle". Was exiled, and then survived a State-sponsored assassination attempt that blinded him in one eye and blow off his right arm. After Apartheid ended, Nelson Mandela made him Head of the newly established Constitutional Court. Theda Skocpol -- Books on Obama presidency. She was self-absorbed. Andrea Elliott -- received the University Medal for Excellence. A multiple Pulitzer Prize winner. Very young (42) and attractive. Writer for the NY Times. Wrote series of article of "The Invisible Child" about a homeless girl in NYC and also wrote "An Imam in America" about an Imam in Brooklyn and the perceptions of Islam in the USA> On May 20 we had the ceremony in the Columbia Quadrangle with the platform party of the steps of the Low Library. The view and setting were spectacular. Crisp, clear, cool and sunny day! I have many pictures in my files. It was very moving. New York sparkled I thought of Megan, my father and Jenny who were graduates, particularly the unhappiness that Megan experienced. Too bad, it is such a great university. May 20, 21- Hopkins. Had pre-ceremony dinner the night before (May 20) the Commencement at Nichols House, the home of President Ron Daniels. I gave the same remarks as I did at Columbia. At the reception was Senator Barbara Mikulski who said she came just to congratulate me. The other honorees were very impressive also.