Kareem Abdul-Jabbar '69

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar '69 has been named Harvard College Class Day speaker. The UCLA and NBA legend, a noted author and social activist, will address the Harvard College Class of 2025 during the annual Class Day celebration on May 28, the day before Harvard’s 374th Commencement.

“We are so excited to welcome Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the featured Class Day speaker,” said Uzma Issa ’25, first marshal of the 2025 Class Committee, quoted in the Harvard Gazette story. “He’s a champion in every sense of the word — celebrated both for his extraordinary achievements on the court and his lasting efforts to build a more just and compassionate world. He has shown that true leadership is measured by the difference we make in people’s lives.”

“It’s a privilege to share this moment with the Class of 2025 and to celebrate all that lies ahead,” said Abdul-Jabbar in the same article. “The world needs their ideas, their energy, and their heart. I hope my words will encourage them to keep learning, keep growing, and keep showing up — for themselves and for others.”

Abdul-Jabbar's latest book is his powerful new memoir, “We All Want to Change the World: My Journey Through Social Justice Movements from the 1960s to Today,” which reflects on the experiences that have shaped his life and activism.

To celebrate the book's launch, on May 12, as part of UCLA Alumni and the UCLA Student Alumni Association’s annual I ♥ UCLA Week, Abdul-Jabbar will participate in a fireside chat — moderated by Deborah Morales, his business partner/manager of 31 years.

A UCLA legend who led the Bruins to three consecutive NCAA championships (1967–69), Abdul-Jabbar went on to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and a six-time champion. Beyond the court, he has spent decades using his platform to advocate for justice, education and equality.

In the book, Abdul-Jabbar reflects on a pivotal moment in 1964, when a chance meeting with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. sparked his awakening to the power of protest. What began as a personal reckoning led to a lifelong commitment to fighting injustice in many forms — from civil rights and women’s liberation to environmental activism and opposition to the Vietnam War.

Co-authored with Raymond Obstfeld, the book also explores Abdul-Jabbar’s personal growth — how his early assumptions were challenged, how he learned the importance of empathy and how he came to believe that “no one is free unless everyone is free.” While acknowledging that real change is often slow and hard-won, Abdul-Jabbar’s message is grounded in hope and a belief in the transformative power of each generation.