“Slavery and the University” conference organizer Leslie Harris says many of the country’s colleges were built and maintained for decades by slave labor. Those institutions, she says, were the places where arguments for and arguments against slavery were developed, discussed and debated.
“It is vital to recognize the foundational role of slavery and slave labor in the creation of institutions in the United States and around the world,” she says.
Last month, Emory declared its regret for the university’s involvement in slavery.
