Harvard Concedes After Long Battle Regarding Historical Images of Slavery
After a lengthy legal battle, Harvard University has conceded to hand over two historical images of enslaved individuals to a Black history museum in South Carolina. The decision comes after Tamara Lanier, a woman who claims to be a descendant of the individuals depicted in the photographs, filed a lawsuit against the prestigious university in 2019. The case has sparked a larger conversation about the ownership and representation of historical images of slavery in academic institutions.
The images in question are daguerreotypes taken in 1850 of a man named Renty and his daughter Delia, who were enslaved on a plantation in South Carolina. The photographs were commissioned by Louis Agassiz, a prominent Harvard professor and advocate of polygenism, the belief that different races were created separately and were not equal. The images have been used by Harvard for research and educational purposes for decades, but Lanier argues that they are not just historical artifacts, but also representations of her family’s painful past.
In her lawsuit, Lanier claimed that she is the great-great-great-granddaughter of Renty and Delia, and that she has a rightful claim to the images as part of her family’s legacy. She argued that Harvard had profited off the images without acknowledging the pain and suffering of the enslaved individuals they depict. The university, on the other hand, maintained that it owned the images and had the right to use them for academic purposes.
The case has brought to light the complex and often contentious issue of who owns the rights to historical images of slavery. Many academic institutions, museums, and archives hold collections of photographs, documents, and artifacts related to slavery and the African American experience. These institutions often use these materials for research, education, and public exhibitions, but questions of ownership, representation, and consent have become increasingly important in recent years.
In a statement announcing the settlement, Harvard acknowledged the pain and trauma caused by the images of Renty and Delia. The university expressed regret for the role it played in perpetuating the legacy of slavery and pledged to work with the museum in South Carolina to ensure that the images are displayed in a respectful and educational manner. The terms of the settlement also include a commitment from Harvard to continue researching and teaching about the history of slavery and its impact on American society.
The case has reignited a debate about the responsibility of academic institutions to reckon with their own histories of complicity in slavery and racism. Many universities, including Harvard, have begun to confront their ties to slavery and the ways in which they have benefited from the exploitation of enslaved labor. Some have taken steps to acknowledge and apologize for their past actions, while others have faced calls for reparations and restitution to descendants of enslaved individuals.
As the settlement between Harvard and Tamara Lanier is finalized, the larger question remains: how should institutions like Harvard confront and address their historical connections to slavery? Should they be held accountable for the ways in which they have profited from the exploitation and dehumanization of enslaved individuals? And what role should descendants of enslaved individuals play in shaping the narrative and representation of their own history? The case of Renty and Delia may have come to a close, but the conversation about the legacy of slavery in America is far from over.