Committee: 'UU must acknowledge its slavery past'
In 2021, a study was published on the city of Utrecht’s slavery past. Based on that study, the Mayor of Utrecht decided to issue an apology. The study showed that Utrecht University, too, has some ties to slavery. The Executive Board asked the Committee to issue a recommendation on how to respond to the findings. The Committee has now submitted its report.
The Committee first set out to determine what kind of information is available on UU’s ties to historical slavery, and what kind of information is still missing. A great deal is known about certain aspects. For instance, we are aware that certain UU buildings were constructed or decorated by their then owners by means of money earned from slavery, and we also have some knowledge of the profits made from slavery by certain professors. However, other information is still missing, e.g. about the exact financial and institutional ties between UU and slavery. Moreover, the information we have is not very coherent or easy to survey. Therefore, the Committee feels that the first thing the university should do is conduct more research on its own past. The Committee has drawn up an extensive research agenda for this purpose.
The Committee feels that it would be premature for the university to issue an apology while we lack exact knowledge of the city’s slavery past and the role played in it by the university. The Committee believes that what is necessary at present is to acknowledge that the trade in and exploitation of enslaved people had consequences, which benefited some people while causing great suffering to others. The Committee feels that it is important that more in-depth research be conducted on this subject and that it be acknowledged in full, and that we seek to learn from it and ensure that it becomes part of our collective memory.
Underexposed
In its initial reaction (a letter addressed to the University Council), the Executive Board stated that it wishes to act on the recommendation. The suffering borne by slaves is indescribable, and the lack of acknowledgement of it continues to cause pain even today,
the Executive Board wrote. It is a fact that all sorts of people and organisations, including UU, profited from colonial slavery in the past, both directly and indirectly. We have found that there is a great deal we do not know of our own part in this, which is saying a lot. This part of our history has been left underexposed. We feel that it is vital that this be acknowledged and that UU assume responsibility for its part.
The Executive Board agrees with the two ways in which this can be done, as described by the Committee. On the internal level, we must facilitate new research on our slavery past, and properly connect and prominently feature research projects that have already been initiated (e.g. research on their own collections conducted by the UL and the Utrecht University Museum, or research conducted by academics who are preparing articles to be published). We feel it is important that a debate be encouraged within our university and that we raise awareness and educate people on the subject. In addition, we may be able to make a contribution in social terms – for instance, by conducting research on racism and our colonial past in general, and by researching on a multi-disciplinary level how reconciliation processes may be able to be carried out.
UU has its work cut out for it
A considerable number of specific suggestions was made in the report. For instance, it was recommended that we provide more contextual information regarding certain buildings, or contribute by means of lectures on Keti-Koti. The Executive Board wishes to take on board the Committee’s recommendation that we collaborate with other organisations in the region and the city in this matter. We share the Committee’s view that UU has its work cut out for it,
the Executive Board wrote. We intend to do this work, and to make manpower and resources available for this purpose.
However, we must prevent a situation whereby this project is carried out by just a few researchers or one single project manager. This is something we all have to contribute to.
For starters, the Executive Board will discuss the Committee’s findings with the University Council.
Composition of the Committee
The Committee was chaired by Distinguished Professor of Utrecht University James Kennedy, and also consisted of Nancy Jouwe, Natalja Macnack, Wessel van Wijngaarden, Leen Dorsman, Ellen Neslo and Remco Raben.
Read the Executive Board's letter to the University Council (pdf)