Science, Race, and Yale Abstract

Yale University, named after slave trader Elihu Yale, originally constructed through the use of slave labor, and home to the revitalization of eugenical science has for more than 400 years profited from the institution of slavery and the construction of racial difference through scholarship. Through a thorough, but not exhaustive, dive into the university’s history, this paper presents specific and tangible examples of the ways in which Yale University has built its prestige through the exacerbation of racial inequalities. This essay draws connections from 1701 to the present in order to clarify the lasting effects of Yale’s relationship with slavery to the present. Lastly, the essay lists clear demands that guide us into a future where Yale University is held accountable for its actions in order to bring about corrective changes starting with symbolic changes and extending to restructuring of the university’s leadership.