Harvard Fired Researcher Who Traced School’s Ties to Slavery: “We Found Too Many Slaves”

Harvard University’s Legacy of Slavery initiative has come under fire from descendants of enslaved people and researchers, revealing deep tensions between institutional accountability and community engagement. The university’s historical ties to slavery run deep—families like the Vassalls and Royalls, who enslaved hundreds in Jamaica and Antigua, helped build the university’s wealth. John Vassall, a Harvard graduate, once paid part of his tuition with a barrel of sugar. Though Isaac Royall Jr. never studied at Harvard, he endowed a professorship that funded Harvard Law School’s foundation, represented until 2016 by the Royall family crest.

One of the descendants, Lloyd, traced her lineage to enslaved couple Tony and Cuba Vassall, who lived on the property now known as the Longfellow House. Their son Darby resisted George Washington’s request for unpaid labor and later became an abolitionist and community leader in Boston. “They shall not be denied the sweets of freedom,” Tony once wrote in a petition. Though denied residency, he received a pension—an early example of reparations.

Despite these legacies, Lloyd describes Harvard’s response as “icy.” “Naively, I was expecting them to be very welcoming,” she said. Instead, she received little outreach. Her frustration mirrors broader tensions. Historian Cellini, who helped uncover names of thousands of enslaved individuals linked to Harvard, was abruptly fired. “We found too many slaves,” he said. He believes the university feared the financial implications of descendant claims.

The initiative has faced other setbacks. Two professors resigned over delays in building a memorial. The executive director also stepped down after HR disputes. Antigua’s ambassador criticized the university for firing Cellini without notice, saying the country wanted “real engagement and meaningful action.”

Cellini’s visit to Antigua revealed hundreds more enslaved names tied to Harvard. “This is where lives were spent and exhausted,” he said, standing near the ruins of a sugar mill. For Lloyd, learning about her ancestors’ struggle has been both grounding and painful. “I feel like I’m still close to the explosion,” she said. “My ears are still ringing.”

Link: The Guardian