Conversation so far:
How was Dawkins responsible for the term meme?
Dawkins coined the word meme as a way to encourage readers to think about how Darwinian principles might be extended beyond the realm of genes.
What was Dawkins referring to when he used the term meme?
Meme was intended as an extension of his replicators argument, but it took on a life of its own in the hands of other authors, Daniel Dennett and Susan Blackmore.
What is Richard Dawkins' selfish gene?
Dawkins uses the term selfish gene as a way of expressing the gene-centred view of evolution, popularising ideas developed during the 1960s by W. D. Hamilton and others.
Are there any other interesting aspects about Richard Dawkins fathering the meme besides the selfish gene?
Although Richard Dawkins invented the term meme, he has not claimed that the idea was entirely novel.

Question: Why didn't he claim that it was a novel idea?
Self-contained rewrite: Why didn't Richard Dawkins claim that the term meme was a novel idea?