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
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Princeton and the Colonization Movement
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Founded and supported by 19th-century Princeton alumni, the American Colonization Society promoted the repatriation of freed slaves to a colony in Africa. Ultimately, however, colonization was more of an intellectual movement for moderately antislavery whites than a practical option for free Black people.
James Collins Johnson: The Princeton Fugitive Slave
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James Collins Johnson, a fugitive slave freed after an 1843 trial in Princeton, became a prominent figure in town and on campus over the course of his many decades working at the College of New Jersey.
Featured Visualization
Southern Student Population
An interactive chart showing the proportion of southern students in each graduating class, from the class 1748 to the class of 1865.
Featured Source
Estate Inventory of John Maclean Sr.
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Inventory from the estate of John Maclean Sr., listing two slaves, a "Negro Girl Sal" and "Negro Boy Charles."