Who is Gregory Davis? Harvard dean loses job after controversial ‘anti-white’ social media posts surface

A Harvard University dean has been removed from his position after a student-run news outlet exposed his social media posts, in which he appeared to condone violence and looting during protests, and made remarks critical of whiteness and police.

Gregory Davis, the former Dunster House Allston Burr resident dean, came under fire after a Harvard student-run news outlet called Yard Report resurfaced the controversial posts, in which he also allegedly criticized law enforcement and US President Donald Trump, Harvard Crimson reported.

While neither Harvard nor Davis confirmed what led to his removal, the development came after the Yard Report published his comments in October, and accused him of harbouring hostility toward “White people, police, Republicans, and President Trump”.

According to Harvard Crimson, the student-led news outlet also called on Harvard to fire Davis immediately.

Prior to Harvard, he has also served as a teaching fellow at UCLA Law and an associate professor of law at Southwestern Law School, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He is himself a Harvard alumnus, having earned a master's degree in psychology and a PhD in African American/Black Studies.

Davis is married to Nirisi Angulo, who set up a GoFundMe after he was terminated from his position and was given only 10 days to vacate their university housing. 'This sudden and unplanned upheaval has left us scrambling to find a safe home for our family amidst the harsh winter months,' she wrote to seek support.

However, those posts received severe online backlash, prompting Davis to apologize and extend respect for campus colleagues, including members of the Harvard University Police Department. He expressed regret in an October message circulated to House affiliates, according to Harvard Crimson.

In his latest message following his removal, Davis said he had been dismissed from the role and that, to his knowledge, no interim resident dean had been appointed.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as the Resident Dean for Dunster,” Davis wrote. “I will miss my work with students and staff immensely,” he was quoted as saying by Harvard Crimson.

In a separate email sent about two hours later to House affiliates, Dunster Faculty Dean Taeku Lee announced that Emilie Raymer, who served as interim dean this fall while Davis was on parental leave, would continue in the role, without further specifying how long she would remain the interim dean.