Introduction

Slavery, Colonialism, and their Legacies at Tufts University (SCL) is a collaborative initiative that illuminates the university’s historical ties to racial slavery, the slave trade, and colonialism in Massachusetts and across the Atlantic world. The project explores the historic Black and Afro-Native communities of Charlestown, Medford, Somerville, Boston, and Grafton, as well as the Universalist religious tradition upon which the university was founded. Led by a team of Tufts historians, faculty, archivists, researchers, and postdoctoral fellows, alongside SCL students and Gerald Gill Fellows, the project is driven by a commitment to document a more complete and complex history of the University.

An important part of the project is documentation of the long presence of African-descended and indigenous students on Tufts’ campus. The research illuminates the little-known stories of these earliest students of color at Tufts. By examining archival materials, personal accounts, and institutional records, we demonstrate the diversity of experiences and contributions of these students, highlighting their unsung achievements and collective impact on the university.

Deep Roots at Tufts showcases five of these pathbreaking students, featuring newly discovered stories and experiences and opening a conversation on the past, present, and future of Tufts University.