The Long Road to Reparation: tamara Lanier’s Fight To #FreeRenty
Table of Contents
- 1. The Long Road to Reparation: tamara Lanier’s Fight To #FreeRenty
- 2. What tangible actions can you take in yoru own life to support reparative justice?
- 3. Meet Tamara lanier, Who’s Fighting #FreeRenty
- 4. A Legacy of Exploitation
- 5. Challenging Ownership in a Complex World
- 6. The Path Towards Reparative Justice
On February 12th, at 8pm EST / 5pm PST, a virtual event will bring together activist Tamara Lanier and Hyperallergic Editor-in-Chief Hrag Vartanian to discuss a timely and deeply personal story of ancient exploitation and the fight for justice. The focus of the conversation? lanier’s recently released book, From These Roots, which chronicles her decades-long battle with Harvard University over the ownership and control of daguerreotypes depicting her great-grand ancestors, Renty Taylor and Delia. These powerful images were taken for a 19th-century professor’s deeply problematic research.
Harvard’s possession of these images, taken without consent from Lanier’s ancestors who were enslaved, raises crucial questions about ownership, cultural heritage, and the enduring legacy of slavery. Hyperallergic has been following this story for years, shedding light on the complex legal battles and societal implications surrounding the fight #FreeRenty.
In a poignant 2022 episode of the Hyperallergic Podcast, Lanier shared her story directly with Vartanian, offering listeners a glimpse into her personal journey and the broader fight for recognition and reparations. A special 2021 edition of Hyperallergic delved even further into the case,examining the ongoing legal proceedings and their potential impact on the future of art and cultural ownership. Lanier’s memoir, From These Roots, transcends the individual struggle, urging us to confront the lasting impact of slavery and the urgent need for reparative justice in America.
Especially striking is Lanier’s interrogation of seemingly simple questions: Who truly owns these images considering the complete lack of consent in their creation? And what tangible actions can we take to dismantle the structures perpetuating slavery’s harmful legacy?
The ICA LA exhibition Scientia Sexualis currently features banners bearing the names of Renty and delia, a powerful visual reminder of the fight for recognition and dignity. This online discussion will feature not only Lanier and Vartanian, but also contributions from distinguished guests: Professor Jennifer Doyle, a queer theorist and art critic from the University of California, Riverside, and Jeanne Vaccaro, scholar, curator, and co-founder of the NYC trans Oral History Project.
Join this important conversation on February 12th at 8pm EST / 5pm PST via Zoom. The event is a collaborative effort between ICA LA and Hyperallergic.
Join the conversation on February 12 at 8pm (EST) / 5pm (PST) via Zoom.
What tangible actions can you take in yoru own life to support reparative justice?
Meet Tamara lanier, Who’s Fighting #FreeRenty
Tamara Lanier’s fight to reclaim the ownership of her ancestor’s images captured by Harvard University has captured the attention of art world and those fighting for reparative justice. In her recently released memoir, From These Roots, Lanier chronicles her decades-long battle against Harvard University over the daguerreotype portraits of Renty Taylor and delia, her enslaved ancestors. We spoke with Lanier ahead of her upcoming virtual event with Hyperallergic Editor-in-Chief hrag Vartanian to discuss the powerful journey captured in her book.
A Legacy of Exploitation
Archyde: Your story, as detailed in ”From These Roots”, is deeply moving.What led you to embark on this challenging journey to reclaim these portraits?
Tamara lanier: My great-grandparents, Renty and Delia, were enslaved.These portraits, taken without their consent for a 19th-century professor’s research, have been used for academic purposes for over a century, entirely stripping them of agency and reducing their humanity to mere objects of study. To me, it represented a continuation of the dehumanization they endured during slavery. Reclaiming these images is a way of restoring their dignity and recognizing their inherent right to control their own narrative.
Challenging Ownership in a Complex World
Archyde: Your fight raises fundamental questions about ownership, cultural heritage,and the lasting impact of slavery. How do we begin to address these complex issues?
Tamara Lanier: It’s time to dismantle the systems that perpetuate this kind of exploitation.We need to move beyond simply acknowledging the past and engage in active reparative justice. This means addressing the ongoing inequalities and systemic racism that continue to marginalize communities of color. It also requires a willingness to listen to and amplify the voices of those who have been historically silenced.
The Path Towards Reparative Justice
Archyde: What message do you hope readers take away from ”From These Roots”?
Tamara Lanier: I want people to understand the profound and lasting impact of slavery. I want them to see how these historical injustices continue to shape our society today, and I want them to question the systems that perpetuate these disparities. “From These Roots” is a call to action. It’s a reminder that we all have a duty to fight for a more just and equitable world.
Think about it: what tangible actions can you take in your own life to support reparative justice?
