Skulls in the Basement

Today’s episode focuses on a very sensitive subject matter. Please be advised that this episode may not suit children or listeners who are uncomfortable or

easily triggered. We will be discussing the ill-treatment of human remains in museum spaces and beyond. A few years ago, there were reports and discussions surrounding the repatriation of traditional and historical artifacts. As of today, The Smithsonian Returned a Trove of Benin Bronzes back to Nigeria. In an interview, last week, Niree Blankenberg director of the museum of African art, explained that the transfer is part of the Smithsonian’s commitment to fully investigate how objects have been obtained and the histories behind these items.

“It's important that we acknowledge the role of museums in continuing to perpetuate a kind of violence that strips African peoples and artists of the power of self-determination and representation and knowledge building,” she said. “It's important that we recognize that we haven't been doing that, and then to take steps to address that.” This sounds like an extremely profound gesture which acknowledges the wrongs of the past. However, it still does not address some of the darker histories that still linger beneath the surface. The conversations we do not hear much, but is public knowledge.

Today we will be touching base on the resilience of racism when pertaining to human remains of historical figures and other unnamed bodies that are housed in spaces for the purpose of research , archeology and anthropology. The most visceral and emotional of the restitution issues and perhaps the most successful to date, are those that involve African human remains – skeletons, skulls, and other body parts.

These human remains ended up in European collections through a number of encounters involving warfare, Egyptian tomb raids, and are grisly reminders of ‘scientific’ racism and the creation of human zoos. This last such humiliating spectacle took place as recently as 1958, when people from Congo were put on display for a World Fair event in Brussels, Belgium.

How did our museums become great storehouses of human remains? Let’s start with the story from university of Pennsylvanias penn museum which aired on all things considered in 2021. 900 human skulls obtained during the early 19th century by Philadelphia scientist Dr. Samuel Morton. His research was used to lend scientific support to white supremacy. Just last year in 2021 during the huge popularity of conversations surrounding black lives and racial inequities; the museum issued an extensive apology for keeping the skulls and outlined their plan to repatriate them for an ethical burial. The new director of the museum told NPR It is time for these individuals to be returned to their ancestral communities, wherever possible, as a step toward atonement and repair for the racist and colonial practices that were integral to the formation of these collections."