New Orleans honors repatriated remains of African Americans used in racist research
- A memorial service in New Orleans honored the remains of 19 African Americans returned from Germany after being used for racist research.
- Dillard University played a key role in repatriating the remains and aims to identify possible descendants.
- This event emphasizes the importance of recognizing and restoring dignity to the individuals previously treated as mere specimens.
In New Orleans, a significant event recently took place recognizing the repatriation of ancestral remains of 19 African American individuals. These remains, which included skulls that were taken to Germany in the 1880s for awful racist research practices, were properly memorialized after nearly 150 years. The University of Leipzig initiated contact with the City of New Orleans in early 2023 to facilitate this return, leading to a multifaith memorial service held just days ago, which embraced one of the city’s cherished traditions— a jazz funeral. The memorial service took place at the Hurricane Katrina Memorial, showcasing not only the rebirth of these individuals in a spiritual sense but also an acknowledgment of their humanity. Dr. Monique Guillory, president of Dillard University, emphasized the importance of recognizing these individuals for their humanity rather than as mere specimens of scientific curiosity. This approach aimed to restore dignity to those who had been subjected to horrific medical practices without their consent, underscoring the moral implications of their repatriation. Researchers from Dillard University and supporting institutions, comprising a Cultural Repatriation Committee formed in 2024, have actively worked to identify the individuals through public records and genealogy research. Of the 19 people, 17 died in December 1871, highlighting a moment in history just after the American Civil War. Many of them likely lived in poverty and were possibly recently freed from slavery, indicating the societal context surrounding their lives and deaths. The committee has made efforts to identify possible descendants, though results have not yet yielded successful links. This memorial represents a chance for the community to embrace and recognize the undervalued lives of these individuals who were once just numbers in a scientific context. With Dillard University’s aim to locate descendants and honor the histories of these people, it reflects a broader movement toward acknowledging historical injustices and promoting healing and reconciliation in society today.