Harvard University has transferred ownership of 1850 daguerreotypes depicting enslaved people to the International African American Museum in Charleston after a seven-year legal battle with Tamara Lanier, who claims one subject, Renty, is her ancestor and sought the photos returned to South Carolina.

The International African American Museum in Charleston, located at Gadsden’s Wharf, intends to contextualize the enslaved individuals’ stories and commemorates a site where many enslaved people first arrived in North America.

The images will be preserved and used as the anchor for an exhibit detailing the lives of seven enslaved South Carolinians.

The transfer reflects ongoing legal and historical efforts involving high-profile stakeholders and follows related coverage of provenance and restitution debates.

The broader narrative highlights the photographs’ disturbing history and the ongoing reckoning of institutions with slave-era ties, including Harvard’s past financial links to slavery.

The piece underscores a wider dispute over ownership and provenance, amid ongoing debates about restitution and representation in academic archives.

The case has amplified discussions about provenance, ownership, ethics of displaying images of enslaved people, and the historical significance of the daguerreotypes.

Harvard acknowledged its historical connection to slavery and supported placing the daguerreotypes in a public institution to broaden access and contextualize the history.

Public resistance from Harvard gave way to a settlement after pressure from students, media, and supporters, contributing to the eventual transfer.

The photos are believed to be among the first taken of enslaved individuals, marking the transfer as historically significant.

A 2022 South Carolina Supreme Court ruling allowed Lanier to sue Harvard for emotional distress, with the court noting that Harvard’s display of the images could be extreme and outrageous conduct.

Lanier regards the move as a milestone, believing the daguerreotypes are now 'home' in Charleston and align with the museum’s mission to present unvarnished African American histories.