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Stories

The Alumni Subscription Campaign of 1835
by Rob Konkel | Antebellum (1820-1861)
In 1835, the Alumni Association of Nassau Hall responded to financial crisis with a fundraising campaign among Princeton alumni. Many of the donors who responded were southerners with ties to slavery.

Counting Princetonians in the Civil War
by Daniel J. Linke | Civil War (1861-1865)
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.

Student Origins
by Joseph Yannielli | Colonial & Early National (1746-1820), Antebellum (1820-1861), Civil War (1861-1865)
Between 1746 and 1865, about 40% of Princeton students arrived from the slaveholding South. As college leaders recruited elite southerners, enrollment tracked the geographical spread of the slave economy.

William Potter Ross
by Jessica R. Mack | Antebellum (1820-1861), Civil War (1861-1865)
William Potter Ross—a Princeton alumnus, Cherokee chief, and Confederate officer during the Civil War—advocated for Cherokee sovereignty in part by defending the practice of slavery.

Joseph Clark in Virginia (1802-1803)
by R. Isabela Morales Rina Azumi, and Zena Kesselman | Colonial & Early National (1746-1820)
After a fire destroyed Nassau Hall in 1802, Princeton alumnus Joseph Clark canvassed Virginia on a nine-month fundraising mission. Throughout the trip, Clark relied on the hospitality and financial contributions of fellow Princeton alumni and their connections among Virginia’s slave-owning elite.
Primary Sources

Notice of Alumni Meeting
April 14, 1802 | Colonial & Early National (1746-1820)
A note that the alumni of South Carolina met to raise funds to rebuild Nassau Hall after the 1802 fire.

"An Address Delivered Before the Alumni Association of Nassau-Hall"
September 26, 1832 | Antebellum (1820-1861)
A commencement address given by Samuel Southard (class of 1804) in 1832, calling on alumni to donate to the college.

Garrett Cochran in uniform
Unknown | Reconstruction to Present (1865-)
Photograph of Garrett Cochran (class of 1898) in uniform. Cochran served as a Lieutenant in Field Artillery during World War I.

Bruce Wright in 2001
June 4, 2001 | Reconstruction to Present (1865-)
Bruce Wright at Class Day, June 4, 2001.

Commencement Address by James McDowell
September 26, 1838 | Antebellum (1820-1861)
A pro-slavery address delivered by James McDowell (class of 1817) at the Princeton commencement for the class of 1838.
News

The Princeton & Slavery Project at the Thrive Conference
Princeton University, 11/5/19
Martha A. Sandweiss, Professor of History discussed the Princeton & Slavery Project with Melanie Lawson ’76, Journalist and Television News Anchor, at "Thrive: Empowering and Celebrating Princeton's Black Alumni."

Princeton and Slavery: Our Original Sin
Princeton Alumni Weekly, 11/6/17
Princeton reckons with its connections to slavery.

Atelier Course Explores Princeton’s Slavery Ties in Song
Princeton Alumni Weekly, 1/4/18
Alumni Peter Mills ’95 and Cara Reichel ’96 of Prospect Theater Company taught a Princeton Atelier seminar in which undergraduates created original musical theater works inspired by the work of the Princeton & Slavery Project.

Princeton and Slavery: Plays That Probe Our Original Sin
Princeton Alumni Weekly, 11/8/17
At McCarter Theatre, seven works examine Princeton’s connections with slavery.

Q&A: Emily Mann, a Champion of New Work, New Voices on the Stage
Princeton Alumni Weekly, 3/20/19
Emily Mann, playwright and artistic director, discusses her nearly three decades at the helm of McCarter Theatre Center as well as collaborations with Princeton University and the Princeton & Slavery Project.
Events

"Facing Slavery: Princeton Family Stories": A Documentary Film by Melvin McCray '74
Friday, November 17 & Sunday, November 19
Princeton Garden Theatre, 160 Nassau Street
Videos

Looking Back: Reflections of Black Princeton Alumni
Looking Back: Reflections of Black Princeton Alumni is a 75 minute documentary written and edited by Melvin McCray (Class of 1974) and produced by McCray and Calvin Norman (Class of 1977) on the occasion of Princeton University’s 250th anniversary in 1996.