The University of Pennsylvania held a historic memorial service on Saturday to bury the bones of 19 black individuals whose skulls were utilized in a racist scientific research study in the early 19th century.
The unethical research, sponsored by physician Samuel G. Morton in the 1830s, sought to buttress white supremacist notions by falsely claiming that black people were a separate race from whites. According to the New York Post, the skulls were unethically taken from facilities housing black folks who were destitute or mentally sick.
Since 1966, the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology has displayed body parts belonging to unknown and unconsenting subjects. University administrators claim they are now addressing this historical injustice through reparation efforts, which try to right past wrongs.
However, several local activists have criticized the institution for rapidly finalizing burial plans without identifying the bodies or soliciting community opinion. The museum’s director, Christopher Woods, emphasized the need of repatriation for fulfilling its civic responsibilities.
He added that they chose an above-ground burial for the 19 people to facilitate potential identification. The mausoleums used for this purpose are intended to be completely reversible if circumstances change.
However, local activists claim that the decision to bury the remains in Eden Cemetery, a historic black cemetery in Darby, Pennsylvania, was undertaken without community input. Some researchers argue that the identity of Philadelphians were not lost.
“They never did their own research on who these people were; they took Morton’s word for it,” said Lyra Monteiro, an anthropological archaeologist professor at Rutgers University. “The people who aren’t even willing to do the research should not be doing this.”
Using the city’s public archives, Monteiro learned that one of the males had a Native American mother, requiring the remains to be repatriated under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. The institution has temporarily taken this group of remains for evaluation.
However, the university buried the other sets of remains last weekend, away from public view, infuriating Monteiro and others. Members of the Black Philadelphians Descendant Community Group, which is made up of people who identify as descendants of the 19 people, claimed they were devastated and hurt to be left out of the burial of the bones.
“In light of this new information, they are taking time to process and consider how best to honor their ancestors at a future time,” the organization stated in a statement.
The collection of remains, some of which were utilized in education as recently as 2020, was obtained unethically during the 1830s. Morton, a medical professor in Philadelphia at the time, accumulated at least 900 crania, which influenced the training of the majority of doctors. Critics say that Morton’s actions promoted medical bigotry, which continues to this day.
“Medical racism can really exist behind that,” Monteiro added. “His ideas became part of how medical students were trained.”
However, the university has justified its conduct.
“To balance prioritizing the human dignity of the individuals with conservation due diligence and the logistical requirements of Historic Eden Cemetery, laying to rest the 19 Black Philadelphians was scheduled ahead of the interfaith ceremony and blessing,” according to the statement.
The Morton Cranial Collection at the University of Pennsylvania still contains approximately 300 Native American bones that are awaiting repatriation under federal law.
This development coincides with the closure of New York City’s American Museum of Natural History’s Native American exhibitions, as required by a new White House-approved regulation to hasten the repatriation process under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.
As a result, roughly 10,000 square feet of display space will be closed to visitors.