"The skulls of those 19 patients have now been repatriated to Louisiana after more than a century abroad, honoring their lives with a jazz funeral."
"Eva Baham, historian from Dillard University, emphasized the importance of reflection on the racial injustices faced by the deceased, urging to move beyond anger."
In the 1870s, 19 Black patients died at a New Orleans hospital, with their heads sent to Germany for phrenological studies linking skull shape to intellect. Following a two-year process initiated by the University of Leipzig, their skulls were repatriated to Louisiana in 2023 and honored in a jazz funeral, reflecting New Orleans cultural traditions. Historian Eva Baham highlighted the importance of addressing the past injustices, urging society to remember these lives not just in anger, but with a vision for justice and healing. This return marks a significant step in recognizing and repatriating African American remains, a broader issue still prevalent today.
Read at www.npr.org
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