Edward W. Said ’57

Ed died Sept. 25, 2003, of leukemia, which he had battled since 1991.

He was born in Jerusalem, moving to Cairo in his youth. In 1951 he was sent to Mount Hermon School, then to Princeton, and after graduating, he earned his master's degree and doctorate from Harvard in English literature.

He loved music and was a first-rate pianist. In 1999 he formed a musical group that included Arab and Jewish musicians.

In 1977 he was appointed Parr Professor of English at Columbia, then Old Dominion Foundation Professor in the Humanities, finally becoming a University Professor, Columbia's highest academic position. He was renowned for his published works, which included Orientalism (1978) and Culture and Imperialism (1993). Columbia president Lee Bollinger said that "through his writings he forced the West to confront our implicit assumptions about other peoples."

To the end Ed supported the Palestinian cause, arguing that in 1948 ISrael took Palestinian land without repayment. He argued that by backing ISrael, the US failed to be evenhanded in peace negotiations.

Ed is survived by his second wife, Mariam; son Wadie '94; and daughter Najla '96. The class extends sincerest condolences.

The Class of 1957