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
Slavery at the President's House
|
At least five Princeton presidents who served between 1756 and 1822 owned enslaved people who lived, worked—and on one occasion were auctioned off—at the President’s House on campus. During this period, the President’s House was the center of slavery at Princeton.
John Maclean Jr. and Princeton’s Commitment to Sectional Harmony
|
John Maclean Jr., Princeton’s tenth president (1854-1868), was a non-slaveholder and held moderate antislavery views. His commitment to attracting southern students to the college and reducing sectional tension on campus, however, contributed to Princeton’s conservatism in the years leading up to the Civil War.
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
Letter from John Witherspoon Woods
|
Letter from John Witherspoon Woods (class of 1837) to his mother, describing a student-led attack against an abolitionist.