The history of Modern Greek at Harvard University began in 1828, just a few years after the start of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire.
A veteran of the Revolution, the intrepid Colonel Alexander Negris, arrived at Harvard. Far from the battlefields, he embarked on a new mission: to ignite a passion for the Modern Greek language and literature. This wasn’t just a new course; it was a groundbreaking moment. Harvard, a beacon of American academia, welcomed the very first instructor of Modern Greek.
The university’s records from September 15, 1828, paint a vivid picture:
“Any students who wish, may be permitted to attend the instruction of Mr. Negris in the Modern Greek, at such times as not to interfere with their regular exercises.”
Negris, a man of action and intellect, didn’t stop there. Recognizing the urgent need for learning materials, he swiftly published A Grammar of the Modern Greek Language in Boston that same year—the first of its kind printed in the United States. His prologue, penned amidst personal turmoil and exile, reveals a profound dedication:
“Amidst my numerous troubles, isolated, deprived of my homeland, relatives and friends, only consoles me the study of my language in which the arts and sciences were born, a study cultivated in a new hemisphere of the globe. And my only aspiration for now is limited to my ability to say that, first myself among all lovers of knowledge and the arts, I instigated in the Americans the desire to learn the vernacular.”
The Sophocles era at Harvard: Forging a legacy of modern Greek
The torch was then passed to Evangelinos Apostolides Sophocles (c. 1807-1883), a figure whose impact on Modern Greek Studies at Harvard was nothing short of monumental. With the enthusiastic backing of the ardent philhellene Cornelius Conway Felton (who would later become Harvard’s President), Sophocles secured what was likely the first tenured appointment in Modern Greek in the Western world in 1842, as tutor of Modern Greek.
His dedication led to an even grander achievement, as, in 1860, he was promoted to professor of Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Greek—the first such position of its kind. For over four decades, Sophocles, a man celebrated for his vast knowledge, sharp wit, and even his charming eccentricities (he famously kept chickens in his Holworthy Hall apartment), shaped the program.
A personal legend grew around him, prompting his friend, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, to declare, “[Sophocles] makes Diogenes a possibility.” The distinguished Neohellenist Dirk C. Hesseling later hailed him as “the first Neohellenic scholar.” His foundational works, including Romaic Or Modern Greek Grammar (1842) and Greek Lexicon of the Roman and Byzantine Periods (1870), remain testaments to his unparalleled scholarship.
A new voice and a transformative chair
Aristides Phoutrides (1887-1923) was a brilliant scholar who, despite his tragically short life, also left an indelible mark on Modern Greek studies at Harvard. A Harvard Classics graduate, Phoutrides wasn’t just a translator of Modern Greek Literature; he was the first in the US to publish significant critical works on the subject. Moreover, he championed Greek student organizations, establishing one of the earliest, Helikon.
His personal connection with the poet Kostis Palamas profoundly influenced his embrace of demotic Greek, shaping his intellectual identity and guiding his pioneering contributions to the study of Modern Greek literature and folklore. A true Renaissance man, Phoutrides also found time for creative writing, with the Boston Herald proclaiming him “one of the great poets of the future” in 1916.
However, the true explosion of Modern Greek Studies at Harvard arrived in 1977 with the establishment of the George Seferis Chair of Modern Greek Studies. Named after the Nobel laureate poet and funded by generous Greek contributions, this was a landmark moment—the first chair at any US university dedicated to Modern Greek Studies. Harvard was chosen as “the ideal place” for its existing collections and programs.
George P. Savidis, the Chair’s first incumbent, launched a dynamic curriculum, laying the groundwork for Modern Greek Literature to become a core component of the doctoral degree in Comparative Literature.
His successor, Professor Margaret Alexiou, dramatically expanded the program, introducing a PhD in Modern Greek Studies within the Classics Department and attracting a surge of doctoral candidates. Under her leadership (1986-2000), Modern Greek courses captivated students across diverse fields from Folklore and Mythology to Women’s Studies, significantly boosting the program’s visibility.
The modern era for Modern Greek at Harvard
Since 2000, Professor Panagiotis Roilos has led the program, succeeding Margaret Alexiou. Under his guidance, the Program of Modern Greek Studies at Harvard has undergone massive expansion, not only in its curriculum and student enrollment but also through bold academic initiatives.
These efforts vigorously promote scholarship, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, provide vital mentorship, and drive publications in the field, all while fortifying the program’s pioneering emphasis on language development.
The journey of Modern Greek at Harvard is a thrilling saga of passion, intellect, and unwavering dedication, continuously shaping the academic landscape and inspiring new generations of scholars.
This story has been based on archival research by Dr. Vassiliki Rapti.
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