Culturehistory News

"Community Dispute Erupts as Penn Museum Reburies 19 Black Philadelphians' Bones"

The University of Pennsylvania reburied the remains of 19 Black Philadelphians from its collection of human remains, sparking a dispute with community members who felt excluded from the decision-making process. The university's move to lay the remains to rest in a local historic Black cemetery was part of an effort to rectify past wrongs, but critics argue that the decision was made without their input. The collection, originally part of the Morton Cranial Collection, was used for racist scientific research to promote white supremacy. The university has faced criticism for its handling of the repatriation process and is also tasked with repatriating over 300 Native American remains from the collection.