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为了索要先祖照片,她和哈佛大学对簿公堂15年
财富FORTUNE·2025-06-03 12:16

Core Viewpoint - Harvard University has agreed to transfer a collection of photographs, considered among the earliest images of enslaved individuals, to the International African American Museum in South Carolina as part of a settlement with Tamara Lanier, who claims these images depict her ancestors [1][2]. Group 1: Legal Battle and Settlement - The settlement marks the end of a 15-year legal struggle between Lanier and Harvard, where Lanier sought the release of the "daguerreotype photographs" [2]. - Lanier's attorney described the resolution as an "unprecedented victory" for the descendants of enslaved individuals, highlighting the unique nature of the case involving images from 175 years ago [2][5]. - The Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled in favor of Lanier, stating that Harvard was complicit in the wrongful creation of the photographs and should not separate its current obligations from past misdeeds [5]. Group 2: Historical Context - The photographs were commissioned by Harvard biologist Louis Agassiz, who used racial theories to support slavery, and were taken under exploitative circumstances [3][4]. - The lawsuit accused Harvard of profiting from the images by charging high fees for their reproduction [3]. Group 3: Future Implications - The International African American Museum has committed to collaborating with Lanier to narrate the stories behind the photographs, emphasizing the importance of allowing families to tell their own histories [6]. - The settlement includes undisclosed financial compensation, but Harvard has not publicly acknowledged Lanier's relationship to the individuals in the photographs or its historical ties to slavery [6][7].