Radcliffe College facts for kids

Moors Hall, Radcliffe Quadrangle, Harvard University

Radcliffe College was a special college just for women in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was closely connected to Harvard University. Radcliffe was also one of the famous Seven Sisters colleges, which were top schools for women in the United States.

Students at Radcliffe were known for being very smart and thinking for themselves. For many years, Radcliffe gave its own diplomas to students who finished their studies.

What Was Radcliffe College?

Radcliffe College started as a place where women could get a great liberal arts education. A liberal arts education means you study many different subjects like history, science, literature, and art. This helps you learn to think critically and solve problems.

A College for Women

Radcliffe was created because, for a long time, Harvard University did not admit women. So, Radcliffe gave women the chance to study at a high level, often taking classes taught by Harvard professors. It was a very important step for women's education.

Joining Harvard

Over time, Radcliffe and Harvard became closer.

• In 1963, students started getting diplomas that showed both Harvard and Radcliffe names.
• In 1977, Harvard and Radcliffe signed an agreement to work even more closely together. It was called a "non-merger merger" because they were joining forces without fully becoming one.
• By 1999, Radcliffe was fully joined with Harvard. This meant that women could now attend Harvard directly, and Radcliffe's role changed.

Radcliffe Today

Even though Radcliffe College no longer exists as a separate college, its name and legacy live on.

• The former Radcliffe campus is now home to the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. This institute supports advanced research and learning for people from all over the world.
• The old Radcliffe student housing buildings are now part of the Harvard College housing system.
• The areas known as Radcliffe Yard and the Radcliffe Quadrangle will always keep the "Radcliffe" name. This helps remember the college's important history.

Famous Radcliffe Students

Many amazing women studied at Radcliffe College. They went on to do great things in different fields.

• Henrietta Swan Leavitt (graduated 1892): She was an astronomer who made important discoveries about how to measure distances in space.
• Gertrude Stein (graduated 1898): A famous writer of novels, plays, and poems.
• Helen Keller (graduated 1904): An author, activist, and lecturer who was deaf and blind. She showed the world that people with disabilities can achieve anything.
• Virginia Hall (attended 1924–1925): A brave spy for the United Kingdom and the United States during World War II.
• Margaret Atwood (graduated 1962): A well-known author from Canada, famous for her novels and poetry.
• Benazir Bhutto (graduated 1973): She became the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan, making her the first woman to lead a democratic government in a Muslim-majority country.
• Mary White Ovington (attended 1891–1893): A civil rights activist and journalist who helped found the NAACP, a major organization fighting for racial equality.

Images for kids

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  Among the earliest buildings at Radcliffe College were the Fay House and the gymnasium (photo c.1904).

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  Radcliffe class in radio science, 1922

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  Elizabeth Cary Agassiz House, 2012

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  Astronomer and computer Henrietta Swan Leavitt (AB, 1892)

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  Civil rights activist and journalist Mary White Ovington (1891–1893, no degree)

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  Novelist, playwright, poet Gertrude Stein (AB, 1898)

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  Author, political activist, and lecturer Helen Keller (AB, 1904)

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  Spy for the United Kingdom and United States Virginia Hall (1924–1925, no degree)

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  Author Margaret Atwood, (AM, 1962)

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  11th Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto (AB, 1973)