Slavery Research Group
WHAT WE DO
We are a group faculty and staff working across disciplines to learn more about the history of slavery and enslaved people in Oxford and on campus.
University of Mississppi Slavery Research Group
The University of Mississippi Slavery Research Group (UMSRG) is a collaborative, multidisciplinary initiative dedicated to investigating and confronting the university’s historical ties to slavery and its lasting legacies. Founded in 2014, UMSRG brings together faculty, staff, students, and community partners to engage in rigorous research, public history projects, and critical dialogue aimed at fostering a fuller understanding of the institution’s past.
The group’s work includes archival exploration, architectural and archaeological analysis, oral histories, and educational programming that centers the experiences of enslaved individuals and their descendants. One of UMSRG’s signature efforts involves the ongoing interpretation and preservation of Rowan Oak’s servants’ quarters, which offers insight into the lives of African Americans who lived and labored on the property before and after William Faulkner’s time.
UMSRG is also actively involved in national conversations about universities and slavery, contributing to a broader movement of historical reckoning in higher education. By making its findings accessible to the public and by supporting student-led research and community engagement, the group plays a vital role in shaping a more inclusive narrative of Mississippi’s and America’s complex past.
Campus Slavery Tours
For several years, the University of Mississippi Slavery Research Group has led campus slavery tours for students, faculty, and visitors, sharing research on the university’s historical ties to slavery. The tours explore topics such as the use of enslaved labor in constructing and operating the antebellum campus, the pro-slavery ideologies of early university leaders, and the connections between slavery, the Civil War, and Confederate memorialization. In Fall 2019, the group began offering these tours more formally to the campus community.
Slavery Research and Public Engagement Projects
The University of Mississippi joined a national and international movement in 2014 to study higher education’s historical ties to slavery, becoming one of the first institutions in the Deep South to do so through the creation of the UM Slavery Research Group. This initiative aligns with efforts by universities like Brown, Harvard, and Georgetown, and has included participation in national partnerships such as the Universities Studying Slavery Consortium and workshops at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute. With growing public interest in slavery memorialization and education, the group aims to lead in training future scholars and creating innovative research tools that connect public history, genealogy, digital media, and racial reconciliation.
Latest News
Stay informed with the latest from the University of Mississippi Slavery Research Group. Explore how our people and programs are actively enhancing the quality of life in Mississippi and beyond. Discover how our innovative research, engaging community connections, academic achievements, and unique student experiences are making a difference.
Faculty News / Honors & Awards
OXFORD, Miss. – The Mississippi Historical Society has honored the University of Mississippi Slavery Research Group for its work in telling the stories of enslaved people across the South.
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Faculty News / Honors & Awards
Support Slavery Research Group
Help support the Slavery Research Group by giving a donation! Your gift can help support:
- Fundraising to renovate and interpret servants’ quarters at Rowan Oak
- Focus on lives of African Americans on the property (1846–1962)
- Collaboration with leading slave dwelling architectural historians
- Architectural and archaeological documentation of the site
- Creates a working lab for students, faculty, and archivists
All gifts made through this web site and the University of Mississippi Foundation (the organization responsible for University donations) are secure and confidential. Your information will not be shared with any other entity. You can feel secure in making your online gift to Slavery Research Group through the University of Mississippi Foundation.