Amherst College
IL-14: Addressing Historic Injustices

https://www.amherst.edu/about/diversity/antiracism/racial-history-of-amherst-college

As a College whose motto is Terras Irradient – “let them give light to the world”  – we are obligated to understand our own history, to be transparent, truthful, and accountable for that history, and to learn from it. To that end, we are turning that light onto ourselves to explore Amherst’s ties to the institution of slavery, the colonization of Indigenous lands and people, and the impact of ideas such as scientific racism at the College. We are seeking to acknowledge the legacy of that history and redress the harms done, and to celebrate those people who have actively fought against these elements of our history. In this work, we are striving to model and reinforce Amherst’s commitment to continuous learning. While we are proud of the College’s many achievements, we also believe that every member of our community should have the opportunity to be equally familiar with our history, not only that which has to do with injustices but also the history of the individuals and groups too often excluded from our institutional story rather than acknowledged and appropriately celebrated.  

Our commitment to a restorative frame underscores our belief that historical wrongs and racial disparities have left lasting inequities at the College and pose impediments to building a more inclusive, thriving, and just community. In a community dedicated to learning, introducing complexity and nuance — pursuing the full truth of the past — should be rewarding and meaningful for everyone. To do this successfully, our history must be easily accessible to all members of the community – as well as to visitors – whether they are visiting us online or in person, visiting our buildings, or traversing our landscape. This work intends to build upon the relationships that are strong, repair the ones that are fraught, and establish the ones that have been missing or neglected.

A Steering Committee on a Racial History of Amherst College was established in late 2020 and has strived:

• To identify and support specific research projects into college and local history with particular focus on any links between the college and the slave trade;
• To serve as a hub for cross-divisional coordination for research efforts underway across campus;
• To identify and coordinate appropriate venues for the dissemination of research findings on the college’s racial past;
• To facilitate connections among faculty, students, staff, and alumni, and other interested stakeholders within and beyond the college around Amherst’s racial history;
• To provide information and support for faculty interested in integrating college and local history into their courses; and
• To initiate public programming and support and coordinate programs initiated by others to foster opportunities for dialogue on the college’s racial history.