The Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology mourns the horrific murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and the loss of countless other Black lives at the hands of the police and the criminal justice system. We stand with those who protest against them. We raise our voice in solidarity with the Black community and with those whose lives are most vulnerable to the impacts of systemic racism, wealth inequality, food insecurity, and lack of health care. These are the people struggling on the front lines today and every day.
The museum pledges our commitment to a rigorous examination of our own institutional practices, to the ongoing cultural education of our staff, and to the ethical stewardship of the collections we hold in trust.
With our colleagues at Harvard University, we commit to affirm the values of racial equity, social justice, nonviolence, and human rights for all people, regardless of color, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, religion, ability, or culture. Specifically, we support the joint statement by Harvard Centers condemning police violence.
Our colleagues at the National Museum of African American History & Culture have launched an in-depth web site Talking About Race on dismantling racism and how to discuss race, equity, and inclusion.
Last October the museum hosted a candid conversation between Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch and Alphonse Fletcher University Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., on Creating the National Museum of African-American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Watch the video of this remarkable event.
We look forward to joining our efforts to yours in the struggle toward creating a better world for all.