Skeletons in Our Basements: The History and Future of Human Remains at Mount Holyoke College

Abstract

What comes after the moment you happen upon an unlocked cabinet of human remains? After you’re confronted with the incontrovertible truth of a collection practice always present, but unseen until this moment? This thesis explores the ethical question of collections care and stewardship. I provide a historical understanding of human osteology collections in the United States, an overview of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), and a description of my recent hands-on efforts to reckon with these collections at Mount Holyoke. There are tens of thousands of natural history objects held in Clapp Laboratory, of which nearly 1,500 are classified as human osteological remains. I fundamentally question the presence of these types of collections in institutions of higher education, and argue that Mount Holyoke must work towards intentional restorative practices regarding these human remains. I hope that this thesis acts as a benchmark in a developing process, summarizing the work that has been done, and ushering in a new era of ethical futures for collections at Mount Holyoke College.