Settlement reached: Harvard yields archaic images of enslaved individuals, ending a decades-long dispute
BOSTON — In a historic settlement, Harvard University will transfer 175-year-old photographs depicting enslaved individuals from the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology to the International African American Museum in South Carolina. The images, believed to be the earliest of their kind, are part of a protracted battle over ownership and usage that dates back 15 years.
The dispute centered around photographs of Renty Taylor, a man identified as a possible ancestor by Tamara Lanier, and his daughter Delia. Lanier, a resident of Connecticut, filed a lawsuit against Harvard in 2019, alleging wrongful seizure, possession, and exploitation of the images.
The settlement, announced Wednesday, effectively ended the legal battle. The images will be relinquished from Harvard to the South Carolina museum, the state where Renty and Delia were enslaved when the photographs were taken in 1850.
Joshua Koskoff, Lanier's attorney, described the resolution as an "unprecedented" victory for the descendants of enslaved individuals in the United States. He attributed his client's tenacity and determination as crucial factors in achieving the settlement.
The photographs were commissioned by Harvard biologist Louis Agassiz, who used the images to support theories of racial difference that were used to endorse slavery in the U.S. Agassiz encountered Renty and Delia on his quest for "pure" African slaves during plantation tours.
The images were created by posing both Renty and Delia shirtless and photographing them from several angles. According to the lawsuit, Agassiz viewed Renty and Delia solely as research subjects, disregarding their humanity and the inhumane nature of forcing them to participate in the photographic process.
In 2022, Massachusetts' highest court ruled in Lanier's favor, recognizing Harvard's complicity in the unethical creation of the photographs.
Dr. Tonya M. Matthews, CEO of the International African American Museum, called the handover of the images a significant moment 175 years in the making. Matthews commended Lanier for her courage, persistence, and grace throughout the process, stating that her actions serve as a model for everyone.
The museum has pledged to work with Lanier and involve her in decisions about the images' exhibition and contextualization.
Koskoff highlighted that the settlement was more than just transferring the images from one institution to another. He emphasized the importance of allowing the images to be displayed with proper context, avoiding the story being told by a biased party such as Harvard. Koskoff also underscored the right of individuals to tell their family's story.
While the settlement reached an undisclosed financial agreement, Harvard has yet to publicly acknowledge Lanier's connection to the institution or acknowledge its role in propagating slavery in the U.S.
This settlement marks a pivotal moment in addressing Harvard's role in slavery's darkest chapter and urging more ethical treatment of images of enslaved ancestors in the future.
Enrichment Data Relevance:
- The general historical context of the scientific study, the racist ideology behind the daguerreotypes, and Harvard University's record of complicity with slavery are pertinent for readers to understand the significance of the settlement.
- The updates on Harvard's accountability and acknowledgment of its slavery legacy add context to the story, enhancing its significance and impact.
- The settlement, set in Toronto this week, marks a pivotal moment in addressing the cultural-travel implications of institutions' past involvement in slavery, encouraging more ethical treatment of images depicting enslaved ancestors.
- As the legal battle over photographs of Renty Taylor and his daughter Delia comes to an end in the court of law, the question of how such travel-related historical artifacts should be handled in the future, especially those that were created under inhumane conditions, gains importance for those advocating for lifestyle changes towards a more inclusive and equitable society.
- In the coming years, the International African American Museum plans to collaborate with Tamara Lanier on exhibiting the recently acquired photographs, hoping to shed light on the darker aspects of American history while promoting a deeper appreciation for travel as an educational tool to broaden understandings of diverse cultures.
