Get to know the Advisory Council: Q&A Series

Building on the work of the Presidential Committee on Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery, the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery Initiative’s Advisory Council has been guiding the implementation work for the Initiative since 2024.

Members of the council are experts in areas of scholarship such as U.S. history, African American studies, Native American studies, the history of science and public health, civic engagement, and law.

The council develops strategies for the Initiative’s three strategic priorities — memorializing those who were enslaved by Harvard affiliates, while educating the community on the University’s ties to slavery; strengthening partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities; and identifying direct descendants of those enslaved by Harvard affiliates.

To learn more about the Advisors and their collective vision for the Initiative, click on their interviews below.

Interviews

Philip Deloria addresses Harvard’s Responsibility in Confronting Slavery

How historical inquiry and collaboration can guide Harvard toward accountability and long-term change.

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Understanding Our Institutional History

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. reflects on confronting Harvard’s historical ties to slavery and shares a vision for the path ahead.

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Keeping Their Stories Alive: Annette Gordon-Reed on Memory, Law, and Slavery

A leading scholar of law and history, Gordon-Reed shares why confronting Harvard’s ties to slavery is essential to the University’s educational mission.

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Confronting an Uncomfortable Past: Evelynn Hammonds on Understanding All of America’s History

Why Harvard’s Legacy of Slavery Initiative matters.

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Learning From History: Martha Minow’s Vision for Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery

Drawing on work in restorative justice, Minow shares how research and memorialization can help Harvard confront harm and strengthen its future.

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Shining a Bright Light on History: M. Lee Pelton’s Role in the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery Initiative

Drawing on decades of academic and civic leadership, Pelton shares how confronting Harvard’s ties to slavery can strengthen communities.

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