Harvard Peabody Museum Repatriates More Native Hair Samples
Published Date: 3/19/2025
Notice
Summary
Harvard’s Peabody Museum has finished checking its collection of Native American human remains and found they belong to specific tribes and Native Hawaiian groups. These remains, mostly hair clippings from several individuals, were collected from places like Utah, California, and New Mexico. Starting April 18, 2025, the museum can begin returning these remains to the rightful communities, honoring their heritage and culture.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Museum identifies nine Native remains
Harvard’s Peabody Museum completed an inventory and determined the human remains represent at least nine Native American individuals (hair clippings) collected between 1930 and 1933 and donated to the museum in 1935. The museum found a cultural affiliation between these remains and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation (Utah), and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe.
Repatriation may begin April 18, 2025
The Peabody Museum may repatriate the human remains described in this notice on or after April 18, 2025. This sets a clear earliest date for transfer to eligible requestors.
Who can request repatriation
Written repatriation requests must be sent to the Peabody Museum’s Responsible Official and may be submitted by: (1) any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice; or (2) any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not identified if they show by a preponderance of the evidence that they are a lineal descendant or culturally affiliated. Contact information for the Responsible Official (Jane Pickering) is provided in the notice.
Competing and joint repatriation rules
If competing repatriation requests are received, the Peabody Museum must determine the most appropriate requestor before repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation are treated as a single request and not as competing requests.
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