Harvard to Repatriate Ancient Native American Hair—Strands of History Return Home
Published Date: 12/16/2025
Notice
Summary
Harvard’s Peabody Museum has finished checking its collection and found some Native American hair samples from the Fort Mohave Indian School and Sherman Institute. These remains are linked to Native tribes, and starting January 15, 2026, they can be returned to the right communities. If you want to request the return, you can contact the museum soon!
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Three Native Remains Eligible for Return
Harvard’s Peabody Museum completed an inventory and identified human remains (hair clippings) representing three Native American individuals collected at the Fort Mohave Indian School (Mohave County, AZ) and the Sherman Institute (Riverside County, CA) between 1930 and 1933. These remains may be returned to affiliated communities on or after January 15, 2026.
Who May Request Repatriation
The Peabody Museum identified the Gila River Indian Community and the Salt River Pima‑Maricopa Indian Community as culturally affiliated and they may request repatriation. Written requests may be sent to Jane Pickering at the Peabody Museum (11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138 or the email provided in the notice); any lineal descendant or tribe that shows cultural affiliation by a preponderance of the evidence may also request repatriation, and the museum will decide among competing requests before repatriation.
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Harvard’s Peabody Museum has finished checking its collection and found human remains and artifacts linked to Native American tribes. Starting January 15, 2026, these items can be returned to the tribes that they belong to. This means important cultural treasures will soon be going back home, honoring Native communities and their history.