Free Renty: Lanier v. Harvard

Poster for Free Renty: Lanier v. Harvard
MOVIE

Free Renty: Lanier v. Harvard

“The question is, who owns the rights to the violence of the past? Is it the victim or the perpetrator? ” — Tamara Lanier

FREE RENTY tells the story of Tamara Lanier, an African American woman determined to force Harvard University to cede possession of daguerreotypes of her great-great-great grandfather, an enslaved man named Renty. The daguerreotypes were commissioned in 1850 by a Harvard professor to "prove" the superiority of the white race. The images remain emblematic of America’s failure to acknowledge the cruelty of slavery, the racist science that supported it and the white supremacy that continues to infect our society today. The film focuses on Lanier and tracks her lawsuit against Harvard, and features attorney Benjamin Crump, author Ta-Nehisi Coates and scholars Ariella Azoulay and Tina Campt.

Release Date

2021-10-15

Year

2021

Duration

1h 34m

Status

Released

Score

0.00

Cast

No Image

Tamara Lanier

Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates

Benjamin Crump

Benjamin Crump

No Image

Tina Campt