After a lengthy legal battle, Harvard University has agreed to transfer historic daguerreotypes of enslaved individuals to the International African American Museum in South Carolina. The move brings closure to a case initiated by Tamara Lanier, who claims descent from two subjects featured in the images, and aims to repatriate their legacy while fostering discussions on the painful history of slavery.
Harvard to Transfer Historic Photos of Enslaved Individuals to South Carolina Museum
Harvard to Transfer Historic Photos of Enslaved Individuals to South Carolina Museum
The agreement with author Tamara Lanier marks a significant step in addressing historical injustices as Harvard prepares to hand over rare images from the 1850s.
Harvard University has reached a landmark agreement to transfer a collection of historic photos considered among the earliest depictions of enslaved people in America to the International African American Museum in South Carolina. This resolution comes after a lengthy 15-year legal struggle led by Tamara Lanier, a Connecticut author who maintains she is a descendant of individuals portrayed in the photos.
The images, originally captured in 1850 and identified as daguerreotypes—an early type of photographic technology—were commissioned by Harvard professor and zoologist Louis Agassiz to support his discredited theories advocating for racial superiority. These photos were rediscovered in the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology's storage in 1976 and depict individuals named Alfred, Delia, Drana, Fassena, Jack, Jem, and Renty.
In a statement, Harvard emphasized its desire to transfer the photos to another institution to ensure they are viewed in a proper context and made more accessible to the public. Despite the university not addressing specifics of the settlement, a spokesperson acknowledged the complex nature of Lanier's claims regarding ownership, particularly given that her lineage connection to the individuals in the images has not been definitively established.
Ms. Lanier initially took legal action against Harvard in 2019, asserting that these images were taken without consent and criticizing the university for profiting from them via hefty licensing fees. While her ownership claims were dismissed by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in 2022, the court recognized Harvard's “complicity” in the oppressive history surrounding the creation of these images, permitting Lanier to pursue damages for emotional distress.
Expressing her joy over the outcome, Lanier remarked, "To repatriate them there would be like a homecoming ceremony." She highlighted the significant historical connection these images have with South Carolina. The museum's president, Tonya Matthews, shared their commitment to displaying the images thoughtfully, stating, "These are not gentle images, and the story behind how they came to be is even more difficult to hear."
As the ongoing legacy of slavery continues to resonate in the U.S., this transfer generates meaningful dialogue regarding the philanthropic responsibilities of universities and their historical ties to oppressive practices.
