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Vice Provost for Special Projects

Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery Initiative

Addressing systemic inequities by developing and advancing visible, lasting, and effective action grounded in Harvard’s educational mission and guided by the recommendations and findings of the Presidential Committee on Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery.


Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery initiative moves forward
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Sara Bleich, Vice Provost for Special Projects

“We know this work will be complex, challenging, and full of tough decisions, but it could not be more important.”


A University-wide effort

Throughout the Harvard community, work is ongoing to reckon with the University’s legacy of slavery.


Telling their stories

Faculty, staff, and students exploring and reckoning with the legacies of slavery around Harvard.


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Stories

Legacies of Slavery: From the Institutional to the Personal

Tasked with uncovering entanglements with slavery at their respective institutions, two leaders reckon with the past and explore ideas for future projects.

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18th century portrait of original buildings in Harvard Yard.

Report on Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery

On April 26, 2022, Harvard President Larry Bacow released the Report of the Committee on Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery, which documented the University’s ties to slavery—direct, financial, and intellectual—and offered seven recommendations that will guide the work of reckoning and repair

The report