Archive · 29 May 2025
Harvard Settles Lawsuit Over Images of Enslaved Ancestors
Imagine someone took pictures of your ancestors a long time ago without their permission.
These pictures were used to try to say they were less important than other people.
Now, a person named Tamara, whose ancestor was in those pictures, is fighting for them.
Harvard University, which had the pictures, has agreed to give them back and give Tamara some money.
This is because they understand that using these pictures for profit or without permission was wrong, and they want to help fix the mistake.
Harvard University settled a lawsuit concerning images of enslaved Africans.
The images, daguerrotypes from 1850, are believed to be the earliest of Black American slaves.
Plaintiff Tamara Lanier, a descendant of Renty, sued over the use of the images.
Harvard has agreed to relinquish the images and provide a confidential monetary settlement.
The case highlights the exploitation of Black Americans' images for commercial gain.
- Who
- Harvard University, Tamara Lanier
- What
- Harvard settled a lawsuit regarding images of enslaved people taken in 1850.
- When
- The lawsuit was settled recently; the images were taken in 1850.
- Where
- Cambridge, Massachusetts (Harvard) and South Carolina (where the images were taken).
- Why
- To resolve a dispute over images of enslaved Africans and the exploitation of their likenesses.
- Plaintiff
- Tamara Lanier
- Images' Origin
- 1850, South Carolina
- Subject of Images
- Renty and his daughter Delia, enslaved people
- Institution Involved
- Harvard University
- Lawsuit Outcome
- Settlement, images relinquished