Hennefeld Brings Back Progressive Spirit

Daniel M. Hennefeld '99 wishes Harvard in 1999 resembled the campus in 1969.

In his crusade to prod his fellow students toward the progressivism their parents exhibited in the 1960s and 70s, Hennefeld may be fighting an uphill battle against 90s student apathy. But he and the members of the Progressive Students Labor Movement (PSLM), the activist group he founded at Harvard, think the fight is worth the trouble.

The concept of activism on campus elicits a sardonic smile from many, if not most, Harvard students. Despite the snickers, however, Hennefeld and PSLM succeeded this year in forcing a change in University policy, an unusual accomplishment for a campus group. In March of this year, after more than a year of negotiations on sweatshop concerns, Harvard officials agreed to disclose publicly all information relating to the licensed manufacture of insignia clothing. Also, the University agreed in principle to support a code of conduct specifying minimum working conditions to which factories must adhere in order to produce Harvard apparel. With other colleges around the country making similar efforts, Hennefeld hopes the policy shift will make a difference in the industry's working.

Hennefeld hasn't declared victory at Harvard, however. The key to the new policy is implementation and enforcement, he says, adding that he intends to work hard to see that Harvard sticks to its commitments. Hennefeld is also quick to credit others for their contributions to the group. "Sometimes one person gets the spotlight, but in reality it takes lots of people coming together and staying involved," he says.

Other PSLM leaders, though, say Hennefeld's role should not be underestimated. "Since its inception, Dan has been the soul of PSLM," says Benjamin O. Shuldiner '99. "It is through his effort with PSLM and other student and labor organizations, that this campus is once again infused with a progressive, activist spirit."

Although he has always defined himself as a political progressive, Hennefeld's interest in labor concerns did not begin until the summer of 1997, when he participated in a program in Atlanta, Georgia called "Union Summer," sponsored by the American Federation of Labor (AFL). He spent the summer researching issues surrounding the labor movement and learning the details of labor union work from behind the scenes.

When he returned to campus that fall, Hennefeld teamed up with Shuldiner and a handful of others to found PSLM. "I was disillusioned with politics after the '94 Republican revolution and I was looking for something active and progressive to do," Hennefeld says. "We started small and moved slow, at first."

Within a year, the group had several dozen active members and an e-mail list of several hundred students. Through the PSLM Hennefeld helped organize several protests, including a visit by two sweatshop workers from the Dominican Republic. In March, he helped organize a "Rally for Justice" which featured hundreds of students chanting slogans outside University Hall. "The strategy here is two-pronged, involving both education and action," Hennefeld says. "We also felt we would be most effective on campus by getting students involved with issues relating to their own university."

When Hennefeld is not organizing mass protests or negotiating with a Harvard attorney on sweatshop issues, the Brooklyn, N.Y. native can be found at WHRB, where he hosts a blues program on Sunday mornings. He also plays guitar for the local Whiskey Moan.

Hennefeld also spends a good part of his time rooting for all of New York City's professional sports teams. He says the most difficult time of the year for him is March, because of the annual NCAA basketball tournament.

"I was actually glad my thesis was due early," says Hennefeld, a history and literature concentrator. "That way I was able to watch every round of games."

Hennefeld has no firm plans for post-graduation. He may take a staff position at United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS), an organization which has grown out of the numerous college protests in recent years. He might also do research for one of the larger labor unions.