Donovan Livingston of Fayetteville, North Carolina, became an internet sensation with his spoken-word poetry address given at the convocation ceremonies of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Two days after the speech was given, it had been viewed 5 million times online. Livingston, a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earned a master’s degree in education at Harvard this year.
Livingston competed with 29 other students to give a speech at the convocation ceremony and his offering was the clear choice among the judges, according to Harvard officials. The speech examined the obstacles faced by African Americans in pursuing an education in the United States.
Livingston will now pursue a doctorate in education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. His speech may be viewed below.
