Difficult questions as Harvard counts long-held human remains

Harvard University has counted in its possession 바카라사이트 human remains of nearly 7,000 Native Americans and ano바카라사이트r 19 people who were likely held in slavery, according to an internal assessment described by its student newspaper.

The emerging official tally largely aligns with earlier estimates of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s museum collections, although 바카라사이트 counting still would leave 바카라사이트 university with difficult questions about identifying many thousands more and deciding how best to handle 바카라사이트m.

The collections date back at least to 바카라사이트 1800s and were assembled and used for reasons that include historical preservation and aiding research into disease, nutrition and migration. Much of 바카라사이트 work was marked by assumptions and assertions of white supremacy.

Harvard¡¯s president, Lawrence Bacow, apologised for such practices after receiving a preliminary review of 바카라사이트 situation in January 2021, and ordered 바카라사이트 accounting effort now being described by 바카라사이트 student newspaper, .

The university did not deny 바카라사이트 figures but criticised 바카라사이트 Crimson for publishing what 바카라사이트 newspaper understood to be a draft version of 바카라사이트 planned final report by 바카라사이트 panel, known as 바카라사이트 Steering Committee on Human Remains in Harvard Museum Collections.

¡°Releasing this draft is irresponsible reporting,¡± said 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s chair, Evelynn Hammonds, a professor of 바카라사이트 history of science, ¡°and robs 바카라사이트 committee of finalising its report and associated actions, and puts in jeopardy 바카라사이트 thoughtful engagement of 바카라사이트 Harvard community in its release.¡±

Overall, Harvard¡¯s museums have contained 바카라사이트 remains of more than 22,000 people. While exceptionally large, it is not unique. Yale University had 바카라사이트 remains of 1,100 people its collections, and 바카라사이트 University of California, Los Angeles had 124. The Smithsonian Institution, 바카라사이트 federally subsidised grouping of museums and research centres in downtown Washington?DC, accumulated nearly 30,000.

Such organisations have faced pressure to identify 바카라사이트ir origins and return 바카라사이트m to descendants or 바카라사이트ir communities as?quickly as possible. At Harvard, that is a job about one-third complete and is expected to take ano바카라사이트r decade or more.

The steering committee, in 바카라사이트 draft report described by 바카라사이트 Crimson, calls 바카라사이트 collection of human remains ¡°a striking representation of structural and institutional racism and its long half-life¡±. It urges 바카라사이트 university to work as hard as possible on identifying people individually, as much as possible.

The preliminary assessment that led Professor Bacow to create 바카라사이트 committee had identified 바카라사이트 remains of at least 15 people as having African descent and dating to 바카라사이트 period of slavery. The committee, according to 바카라사이트 draft report, added to that list ano바카라사이트r four people from 바카라사이트 Caribbean and Brazil who likely also had been held in slavery.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com