In recent years, academic institutions across the United States, including Washington University, have embarked on initiatives to confront the historical connections between universities and slavery. The Washington University and Slavery Project, which began in the summer of 2020, aims to not only document the university’s historical involvement with slavery, but also to promote transparency and dialogue about this challenging topic in American history. 

In the interest of honestly examining WashU’s relationship with the institution of slavery, we must confront an uncomfortable truth.