By Vahan Manukyan T’18
On October 12, investigative reporter Dawn Anahid MacKeen, author of The Hundred-Year Walk: An Armenian Odyssey, visited Tuck and Dartmouth. Her book tells the story of "one man’s courage in the face of the Armenian genocide and his granddaughter’s quest to tell his story." Her talk was very impressive and should touch every person who is part of humanity.
As an Armenian, I cannot overemphasize the significance of the Genocide in our history. It was a tragic period of time for my nation—one that should never happen again to any nation. Awareness of the genocide and education on its impact is crucial, which is why MacKeen’s talk was especially important.
MacKeen’s meeting with students and the Dartmouth community was educational and revealing in nature, as students learned about a part of history that was previously unknown to them. Some of my classmates who haven’t heard about Armenia before coming to Tuck were surprised to learn of this history—the impact and extent of which is difficult to describe in words.
MacKeen connected the history of what happened in Armenia at the beginning of the nineteenth century to the Holocaust and to what is happening today in Syria. What her grandfather went through is a story for the ages. The courage she had to tell her story and retrace history by going to Turkey and Syria is staggering. Her story of going through 100 years and breaking religion and ethnicity barriers is very admirable.
Dawn’s visit to Dartmouth speaks to the openness and level of education we have here at our school. I hope more people will be interested in reading her book, The Hundred-Year Walk, as it can offer revealing insights into a history that we are all part of.
(Photo above: Author and reporter Dawn MacKeen at Tuck. Photo at right: Vahan T'18 asks MacKeen a question during a private lunch with students at Tuck.)