Jan 29, 2025 Story by: Editor
Staff members overseeing Harvard University’s Slavery Remembrance Program have been dismissed from their positions.
The initiative, part of the $100 million Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery project, is dedicated to identifying the descendants of individuals enslaved by the university’s leadership, faculty, or staff, according to reports from the Boston Globe and Harvard Crimson.
Recently, the program, led by Director Richard J. Cellini and research fellow Wayne W. Tucker, uncovered records of “several hundred people” who had been enslaved between 1660 and 1815. They presented their findings to the prime minister and governor-general of Antigua and Barbuda, aiming to gain further insight into these historical connections.
However, just a week after their outreach, the program’s staff was laid off on Thursday, Jan. 23. This decision followed an earlier claim by Cellini, who alleged that Vice Provost for Special Projects Sara N. Bleich had cautioned the program “not to find too many descendants.” The research findings revealed that over 300 enslaved individuals had been linked to Harvard’s leadership, faculty, or staff.
“I have told officials at the highest level of the University that they only have two options: fire me, or let the HSRP do this work properly,” Cellini stated in a September statement to The Crimson.
On Thursday, he provided an update via text: “Today Harvard fired me. So now we know.”
The university has not provided a specific reason for the layoffs. Harvard spokesperson Sarah E. Kennedy O’Reilly stated, “We cannot comment on personnel matters.”
Moving forward, American Ancestors, a genealogical nonprofit and former partner in the project, will now lead the Slavery Remembrance Program.
“Richard Cellini’s superb efforts launched us on our way on this historically important mission, and now it is time for American Ancestors to take the lead in what will be a systematic, scholarly, sustained effort to establish the facts about this dark chapter in our university’s history and begin the long journey of healing,” said Henry Louis Gates, Jr., a member of the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery Advisory Council. “We are indebted to Richard for his early guidance and his ambitious leadership.”
Ryan J. Woods, President and CEO of American Ancestors, emphasized the complexity of the work ahead:
“We understand from our extensive experience that tracing families descended from enslaved individuals is a complex, time-intensive process filled with significant challenges. We are committed to advancing this critical research to help Harvard establish meaningful connections and engagement with living descendants.” Source: AFRO TECH
