Harvard returns two 19th-century enslaved people's skulls to Brazil

Harvard University, located in the United States, has returned two skulls belonging to individuals enslaved in the 19th century to Brazil. Caroline Reis, Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship, informed Lusa about this event.

The handover of the remains was formalized on Monday during a repatriation document signing ceremony held at Harvard. The final delivery ceremony to Brazilian educational institutions is scheduled for Wednesday in the cities of Salvador and Rio de Janeiro.

In a phone conversation with Lusa while at the airport in the United States, Caroline Reis clarified that the two skulls were housed at the Peabody Museum, affiliated with Harvard University, and had been removed from Brazil in the 19th century.

Currently, the skulls are being transported to Brazil via diplomatic pouch, a method that requires them to be kept in sealed and locked containers until they are opened during the delivery ceremonies to the two Brazilian universities on Wednesday.

One of the skulls belongs to a man from the Bay region who participated in the Malê Revolt, an insurrection composed of Muslim enslaved and freed people that occurred in Salvador in 1835. According to Reis, available records indicate that this man arrived injured at a location designated to receive victims of the revolt, died there, and his skull was removed and taken to the United States.

The name of this man could not be identified, nor could it be confirmed whether he held any leadership role in the movement; it is only known that he was part of the Muslim community and participated in the revolt.

The second skull, according to Caroline Reis, is from a woman whose origin is the Cais do Valongo region in Rio de Janeiro. However, her identity and the exact circumstances of the removal of her remains from Brazil have not yet been determined.

Both skulls will be destined for the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), respectively. These universities will assume responsibility for conducting complementary studies, preserving the materials, and seeking information that can deepen the knowledge about these individuals.

Caroline Reis explained that the repatriation process began in 2022. This occurred after the Islamic community of Bahia identified the skulls in a report issued by Harvard regarding human remains at the university and requested support from the Brazilian Government to initiate negotiations.

The official mentioned that the entire process involved approximately five years of dialogue and negotiation, highlighting the cooperation and willingness shown by Harvard during the contacts for repatriation.

After the completion of academic studies, the skulls will be delivered to the communities of origin, which will be responsible for organizing the funeral rites and burial, following their respective cultural and religious traditions.

The executive secretary emphasized that this repatriation symbolizes an act of recovery of historical memory and a recognition of human dignity, given that these individuals were deprived of rights in life and had their remains removed from the country without any identification.

According to Caroline Reis, the recovery of these remains allows for a better understanding of past events and their impacts on the current scenario. She stressed that 'memory policies are essential for us to understand what happened in the past, to also comprehend the legacies that were left and all the aspects that still live in Brazilian society today, such as structural racism and all the difficulties of racial equality that we still face, so that we can chart a different future.'

Additionally, the secretary reported that the Ministry of Human Rights has intensified, since 2023, memory policies related to the transatlantic slave trade and the legacy of slavery in Brazil.

Reis recalled that expeditions by foreign researchers to collect human remains were common in the 19th century but warned that no other cases generating new return negotiations have yet been discovered.

This completed process is considered innovative by the Brazilian Government, which plans to use the acquired experience as a guide for future returns of human remains to communities of origin. Caroline Reis stated that 'what we did will serve as a benchmark for others that will be done in the future,' and added that the Brazilian Government will continue to invest in research to locate other human remains that may have been removed from Brazil during the 19th century.

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Harvard returns 19th-century enslaved people's skulls to Brazil

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g1.globo.comOctober 28, 08:00

Worker rescued after 28 years in conditions analogous to slavery returns to residence in DF

A 56-year-old housekeeper, who was rescued after nearly 28 years working in conditions similar to slavery at a house in Lago Norte, Brasília, decided to return to the employers' residence because he had nowhere else to go.

When questioned by TV Globo about having a signed employment contract, the man answered negatively but expressed his intention to request formalization. According to information from the Labor Public Ministry (MPT), the worker lived in an improvised space in the property's service area, performing gardening and animal care services.

He received only R$ 200 per week, without the right to vacation or formal registration of the employment relationship. A social assistance report pointed to the victim's 'material dependence' and the 'difficulty in building subsistence alternatives.' The Labor Court has already ordered the family to pay the man a minimum monthly wage as compensation.

Emotional bond and exploitation

The MPT is seeking R$ 2 million in moral damages compensation, both individual and collective, in addition to payment of all labor rights accumulated over almost 28 years of service. Four family members, who are businessmen and owners of the property, are being sued for subjecting the worker to such conditions.

During TV Globo's visit to Lago Norte this Tuesday (27), the housekeeper spoke with reporter Marília Marques. He stated that his work was limited to cleaning and denied being a slave, but when asked about the possibility of leaving and gaining financial autonomy and vacation, he declared that he wished to remain at the location, justifying that 'I'm old now, really. And I want to stay here.'

Labor Prosecutor Lys Cabral Cardoso highlighted that the case demonstrates the exploitation not only of labor force but also of the bonds of trust, affection, and gratitude developed with the employing family. She explained that the man's situation of dependence was exploited, given that he did not have his own housing or other ties of belonging.

The worker, originally from Bahia, arrived in Brasília in 1998. The MPT informed that over the years, he lost contact with relatives and could not establish a support network to guarantee housing and sustenance. It was also reported that the man suffers from alcoholism, a factor considered in the assessment of his vulnerability. Even after the rescue, the MPT requested the Court to order the worker's removal from the employing family for a period of three months, with support from the social protection network.

Monthly pension

Additionally, the Labor Court ordered the payment of a monthly pension equivalent to a minimum wage, currently set at R$ 1,621, to the worker. This obligation was established jointly for the four investigated family members. The decision also included the blocking of up to R$ 324.2 thousand in the investigators' financial assets, limited to 50 minimum wages per person. It is important to note that these measures are provisional and do not constitute a final conviction.

In a public civil action, the MPT seeks R$ 2 million in compensation and the payment of all unpaid labor rights over almost 28 years.

Housekeeper used as 'straw man' in five companies

The investigations began following an anonymous tip in August 2025, which led to an inspection conducted by the Labor Public Ministry. In addition to labor irregularities, the investigation revealed indications that the man's data was used in businesses related to the employers.

According to the MPT, the worker appeared as a partner or administrator in five companies, even without knowledge of the business activities. In one of these companies, he was listed as holding 90% of the share capital. The prosecutor mentioned that the worker has low education and difficulties with reading and writing, and during the inspection, he declared ignorance of what a company was or having worked in such an activity.

The Court prohibits the four investigated family members from using the worker's name, CPF, signature, or any other personal data in legal acts, under penalty of a fine of R$ 50 thousand per infraction. The MPT also found that the worker does not have a bank account or mobile phone, and his work card was held by one of the family members.

Slavery-like labor

Brazilian legislation defines four forms of slavery-like labor: forced labor, characterized by coercion; exhaustive hours, when the intensity or duration of activities harms health and dignity; degrading conditions, which involve serious violations of fundamental rights, such as inadequate housing and hygiene; and debt bondage, when the worker's freedom is limited by debts.

The mere presence of any of these modalities is sufficient to constitute the crime, regardless of whether there is imprisonment or physical impediment to leaving the place.