The Black Family Visual Arts Center is a hub for Dartmouth’s creatives. It’s a shame that it’s named after the notorious Leon Black ’73, who has been accused of pedophilia and rape and has close connections to Jeffery Epstein.
Black, the founder and former CEO of Apollo Global Management and former chairman of the Museum of Modern Art, was asked to step down from his posts in 2021 after numerous allegations of sexual assault and ties to Jeffery Epstein came to light. According to Black, his relationship with Epstein was always strictly professional, but new documented email exchanges released by the New York Times in October indicate that their relationship was more perverse.
Though there have been calls in the past to change the name of the arts center, there is no better moment. Under College President Sian Leah Beilock’s administration, we have the opportunity to right a disgraceful wrong. We have the unique chance to avoid further embarrassment and prove that our institution is dedicated to the cause of condemning and preventing sexual violence and pedophilia.
The article published earlier this month by the New York Times explores newly released email exchanges between Black and Epstein. From 2012-2017, Black sent $158 million to Epstein for “complex tax-related transactions.” Epstein, a college drop out, was receiving well above the rate that the most prestigious wealth management firms charged. In addition to being Black’s personal consultant, Epstein also served as the director of Black’s family foundation.
And yes, if that rings a bell, Epstein was the director of the Black Family Foundation — the very foundation that BVAC is named after. Most disturbing, however, is the fact that Epstein was the director of the foundation while the deal with Dartmouth was proposed. According to a 2019 Business Insider article, this role involved “overseeing the direction” of the foundation’s “charitable activities.” The Black Family Foundation, with Epstein as director, donated $48 million to secure the name rights to BVAC. The foundation later disputed the connection to Epstein, according to Forbes.
The Times article follows years of controversy. Earlier this year, Russian model Guzel Ganieva sued Black for defamation, shedding new light on his predatory behavior. The case surrounds a non-disclosure agreement that Ganieva signed preventing her from speaking about her extramarital affair with Black. Ganieva claims that Black was a “predator” who had “sexually harassed and abused her for years.” Black claims the affair was consensual. Judges dismissed the case on the grounds that Ganieva signed an NDA and accepted $9.5 million after signing. The court’s ruling was essentially this: it doesn’t matter if he raped her, because she signed an NDA.
Black was also sued by Cheri Pierson in 2024, who alleged that Black raped her in Epstein’s mansion in New York City. Epstein told her she would get paid $300 for giving a massage, and Black left her in excruciating pain. The case was dropped.
A third case is pending now. A woman, suing under the moniker Jane Doe, has claimed that Black also raped her in Epstein’s New York City mansion. She was also told she’d be giving him a massage. She was 16 at the time of the incident, and has Autism and Down Syndrome.
It neither makes sense to name our arts center after an alleged pedophilic rapist nor after a foundation that, at the time of BVAC’s creation, employed Jeffery Epstein as a director.
President Beilock, the time is now. Rename BVAC.
Opinion articles represent the views of their author(s), which are not necessarily those of The Dartmouth.
Update Appended (Nov. 9, 7:37 p.m.): This article has been updated to include further details on Jeffrey Epstein’s relationship with Leon Black.
