After a six-year legal struggle, Harvard University has decided to relinquish ownership of two historic portraits of enslaved individuals, Renty and Delia, which were commissioned 175 years ago. Tamara Lanier, claiming descent from the subjects, initiated the lawsuit over the portraits housed at the Peabody Museum. She accused the university not only of profiting from these images but also inflicting emotional distress through their disputation of her lineage. Following the settlement, the daguerreotypes will be transferred to the International African American Museum in South Carolina, marking a significant recognition of African American heritage and calls for reparations.
Harvard has been committed to stewarding the daguerreotypes in a responsible manner and finding an institutional home for them where their historical significance is appreciated.
The bravery, tenacity, and grace shown by Ms. Lanier throughout the long and arduous process of returning these critical pieces of Renty and Delia's story to South Carolina is a model for us all.
Today marks a turning point in American history. This landmark settlement is not just a victory for my family. It's a victory for every descendant.
Collection
[
|
...
]