New findings from Penn Slavery Project show how U. benefitted financially from enslaved labor

The student researchers in the Penn Slavery Project expanded upon their initial findings further demonstrating the University's connections to slavery at a presentation April 23. 

This semester the group focused on the construction of Penn's early campus – what was then known as The Academy of Philadelphia – as well as the connections of contemporary professors and alumni to the slave trade. 

The students unearthed evidence that several leading figures, such as Robert Smith, a prominent architect for the Academy and a slaveholder, had substantial involvement in the slave trade. There is also significant evidence that the University had substantial knowledge of the connections, which included a campaign soliciting funds from many wealthy donors, many of whom owned slaves.