An exploration of Princeton University’s historical ties to the institution of slavery
About the Project
Princeton University, founded as the College of New Jersey in 1746, exemplifies the central paradox of American history. From the start, liberty and slavery were intertwined. From 2013 to 2024, the Princeton & Slavery Project investigated the University’s involvement with the institution of slavery and ongoing legacies of institutional racism.
We invite you to explore the many stories and sources included here, which reflect the work of more than 50 contributors, the majority of them Princeton undergraduate and graduate students.
News & Events
See All News & EventsFeatured Stories
What Princeton Owes to Firestone’s Exploitation of Liberia
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Forced labor in Liberia built the Firestone fortune—and transformed Princeton. The story of Firestone, Liberia, and Princeton reveals how racist exploitation entangled and enriched Nassau Hall in the century that followed the U.S. Civil War.
Counting Princetonians in the Civil War
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Extensive research by the Princeton University Archives staff has determined that over 600 Princeton students and alumni fought in the Civil War. Of these, 86 died in the conflict—47 for the Confederacy, and 39 for the Union.
Featured Visualization
The Princeton & Slavery Plays, Part I: Under the Liberty Trees
Interviews and clips from "Under the Liberty Trees," by Emily Mann, which premiered at the McCarter Theatre in November 2017 as part of the Princeton & Slavery Project Symposium.
Featured Source
"Rev. I. W. L. Roundtree Has Risen From Slavery's Estate"
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Newspaper article profiling I. W. L. Roundtree, a late-19th century Princeton graduate who was born a slave.