Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Lahiri Rejects Honor in Protest of Keffiyeh Policy at Noguchi Museum

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri has opted to decline the 2024 Isamu Noguchi Award from New York City’s Noguchi Museum in light of the museum’s recent decision to dismiss three employees for wearing keffiyeh headscarves, which symbolize solidarity with Palestine. The museum released a statement on Wednesday, acknowledging Lahiri’s choice and stating, “We respect her perspective and understand that this policy may or may not align with everyone’s views.”

Lahiri, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 2000 for her collection “Interpreter of Maladies,” made this decision amid global protests advocating for an end to Israel’s military actions in Gaza, where the black-and-white keffiyeh has become a powerful emblem of Palestinian self-determination. Historically, the keffiyeh has been associated with prominent figures like anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela.

Supporters of Israel, however, argue that wearing the keffiyeh can indicate support for extremism. This tension is further highlighted by a recent incident in November when three Palestinian-descended students in Vermont were attacked, with two of them wearing keffiyeh at the time.

The backdrop to these developments includes Israel’s ongoing military offensive in Gaza, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and widespread displacement, following a deadly attack by Hamas on October 7. The Noguchi Museum, established by Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi, had previously implemented a policy banning employees from displaying any “political messages, slogans, or symbols,” leading to the firing of the three staff members.

This incident reflects a broader trend in the United States, where individuals have faced job losses due to their outspoken views on the Israel-Gaza conflict. For instance, a Palestinian American nurse was terminated by a New York City hospital in May after labeling Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” during her acceptance speech for an award. Israel, for its part, has denied the genocide allegations made against it at the World Court by South Africa.

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