Jordan Lloyd, a 35-year-old screenwriter, was quarantining in her North Hollywood apartment in June 2020 when she found herself rereading Roots by Alex Haley.
This powerful novel tells the story of Kunta Kinte, who is enslaved and brought to Virginia. While revisiting the novel, Lloyd wished for something big to happen. Little did she know that soon after, a life-changing email would alter the course of her family’s history.
A Surprising Connection to Harvard’s History
Lloyd received an unexpected email from Carissa Chen, a student at Harvard University.
Chen had been researching the descendants of enslaved people and believed that Lloyd might be related to Tony and Cuba Vassall, two enslaved individuals taken from Antigua by Isaac Royall Jr., whose legacy played a role in the creation of Harvard Law School.
The email contained a family tree and information about Lloyd’s potential ancestors, leading to a surprising connection to one of the most prestigious institutions in the world.
Harvard’s Dark Past and Connection to Slavery
While the history of slavery is often associated with the American South, it is also deeply intertwined with New England’s institutions, especially Harvard University.
Harvard’s wealth grew through donations and affiliations with the slave economy, with enslaved individuals working on campus buildings and their labor contributing to the university’s success.
In 2007, Harvard began informal research into its links to slavery, and in 2016, its president acknowledged the university’s direct involvement.
This recognition led to further investigations, culminating in the 2022 report Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery, which outlined the university’s history and called for actions like memorialization and identification of enslaved people’s descendants.
The Search for Descendants of Enslaved People
Richard Cellini, who had worked on a similar project at Georgetown University to identify the descendants of enslaved people, was hired by Harvard to lead the research.
Cellini and his team identified more than 900 individuals enslaved by Harvard affiliates, along with nearly 500 living descendants.
However, Cellini soon faced resistance from the university. Harvard officials expressed concerns about the financial implications of identifying too many descendants, fearing it could tarnish the university’s reputation and financial stability.
Despite these challenges, Cellini and his team continued their work, uncovering new names and connections that extended all the way to Antigua, where many enslaved people had originated.
As the research grew, tensions escalated, and Cellini’s team was eventually fired by Harvard in 2023. The university shifted its approach, partnering with American Ancestors, a genealogical organization, to continue the research.
The Emotional Toll on Descendants
For Lloyd and her family, the discovery of their lineage was a mixture of joy and sorrow. Lloyd learned about her ancestor Cuba Vassall, who was brought to Massachusetts as a child in the 18th century and later married Tony, another enslaved person.
Their descendants, like Darby Vassall, became important figures in Boston’s abolitionist movement.
Lloyd’s journey to uncover her roots provided a sense of peace and connection to her ancestors, but it also raised painful questions about why this history had been hidden for so long.
Lloyd’s personal journey, along with her family’s rich history of resistance to slavery, highlights the complex emotions and challenges faced by descendants of enslaved people.
She is left grappling with how to respond to the university’s lack of openness and engagement with the descendants. Her frustration grows as she seeks ways to hold Harvard accountable for its history and its role in perpetuating the legacy of slavery.
The Road Ahead: Reconciliation and Justice
Lloyd’s family history is a reflection of the broader struggles faced by many descendants of enslaved individuals. The path to reconciliation, truth-telling, and justice is still unfolding at institutions like Harvard.
While progress has been made, there is still much work to be done in acknowledging the harms of the past and addressing the legacies of slavery in meaningful ways.
Lloyd’s journey is a reminder of the importance of uncovering the truth and honoring the lives and sacrifices of those who fought for freedom.
The process of uncovering family histories like Lloyd’s highlights the ongoing efforts of universities and institutions to reckon with their pasts.
As more research is conducted and descendants are identified, it becomes clear that the legacy of slavery is not something that can be ignored or forgotten.
Institutions like Harvard, and the descendants of those enslaved, must continue to confront this painful history and work towards a future that acknowledges the past and moves toward reconciliation.
