Remains of 19 Black Americans returned to New Orleans nearly 150 years later
The remains of 19 Black Americans whose skulls were taken to Leipzig, Germany, in the 1880s to perform "racial pseudoscience" experiments, were brought to New Orleans to be properly memorialized, a repatriation committee said Thursday.
Dillard University, the City of New Orleans and University Medical Center will hold a New Orleans-style jazz funeral on Saturday morning for the 13 men, four women and two unidentified people, according to Dr. Monique Guillory, the president of the historically Black Louisiana university.
"They were people with names," Guillory said at a press conference on Thursday. "They were people with stories and histories. Some of them had families -- mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, human beings -- not specimens, not numbers."
MORE: Pope Leo XIV's family tree shows Black roots in New Orleans
Dr. Eva Baham, chair of Dillard University's Cultural Repatriation Committee, said during the press conference that the University of Leipzig reached out to the City of New Orleans in 2023 and offered to repatriate the remains.
The Cultural Repatriation Committee formed in 2024 and looked through public records to identify exactly who the people were and establish a genealogy, according to Baham. The group has not been able to identify any descendants at this point, she noted.
Baham's team located the people's death records in the archives of Charity Hospital. The medical institution served people of all races from 1736 until it was shuttered due to severe damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, according to a statement from Dillard University. University Medical Center New Orleans opened in its place in 2015 and was the major funder of the project, Baham said.
MORE: Twin sisters buy former plantation to preserve and protect Black history
Of the 19 people, 17 of them died in December 1871 and two died in January 1872, their ages ranging from 15 to 70 years old, according Baham. Many of them were not born in Louisiana but came from states like Kentucky and Tennessee. The committee discovered that 10 of the 19 people were in New Orleans for less than six years, Baham noted.
"We have people who were here in New Orleans from one hour in 1871, one day, a week, two months," Baham said at the news conference. "I just want to remind you that the Civil War had ended in 1865, so we have 10 of these individuals who had arrived here after the American Civil War."
MORE: $9.4 billion plastics facility to be built on slave burial grounds, report says
The names of the 17 people that the committee was able to identify include Adam Grant, 50; Isaak Bell, 70; Hiram Smith, 23; William Pierson, 43; Henry Williams, 55; John Brown, 48; Hiram Malone, 21; William Roberts, 23; Alice Brown, 15; Prescilla Hatchet, 19; Marie Louise, 55; Mahala [no listed last name], 70; Samuel Prince, 40; John Tolman, 23; Henry Allen, 17; Moses Willis, 23; and Henry Anderson, 23.
"We can't rewrite history," Charlotte Parent, vice president of business development at University Medical Center, said at the press conference. "The times were what the times were at the time, but we can always look back and figure out ways that we can embrace and make things as right as we can, and this is one of those opportunities for us to do that."
Remains of 19 Black Americans returned to New Orleans nearly 150 years later originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
29 minutes ago
- Washington Post
`This House' makes world premiere, exploring Black history through a family's legacy in Harlem
ST. LOUIS — Near the end of 'This House,' a heart-wrenching opera given its world premiere last weekend, the matriarch Ida poignantly intones messages to her family on stage and to the audience. 'History's the only thing to survive,' soprano Adrienne Danrich sings before adding: 'You may have left us, but we will never leave you.'
Health Line
31 minutes ago
- Health Line
Does Medicare Cover Cancer Treatment?
Key takeaways Original Medicare covers cancer treatment, with Part A covering hospitalization and Part B covering outpatient treatment. Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) also offers the same coverage. Medicare Part B pays 80% of the costs for approved cancer treatments after you meet your annual deductible of $257. If you need surgery, Part B will pay for you to consult with a surgical oncologist and get a second opinion from another surgical oncologist. If those two doctors disagree, Part B will also pay for you to seek a third opinion. Part A will cover the costs of the surgery if it is an inpatient procedure. Medicare Part B pays 80% of your care provider's bills for prescribed, approved cancer treatments. You're responsible for 20% of the billed amount until you hit your annual deductible. However, some doctor's visits and procedures must meet unique criteria to be approved by Medicare. For example, if you need surgery, Part B will pay for you to consult with a surgical oncologist and to get a second opinion from another surgical oncologist. If those two doctors disagree, Part B will also pay for you to seek a third opinion. If you're enrolled in Medicare, it covers cancer treatment regardless of your age. Medicare Part D covers prescription drugs that are part of your cancer treatment. This article will answer basic questions about how to find out how much you'll owe for cancer treatment if you have Medicare. If you receive a serious cancer diagnosis, you may want to call the Medicare Health Line at 800-633-4227. This line is available 24/7 and can give you specific answers about anticipating your costs. What does Medicare cover for cancer treatment? Medicare is a federal program in the United States that is governed by several laws. The policies are the 'parts' of Medicare, and they cover different aspects of cancer treatment. Part A Part A covers cancer treatments that you receive as part of an inpatient hospital stay, such as surgery to remove cancerous masses. It also covers skilled nursing facility care, home healthcare (like physical therapy), blood transfusions, costs related to participation in certain cancer-focused clinical studies, and surgically implanted breast prostheses after a mastectomy. Part B Part B covers medically necessary outpatient care, including most types of cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy and radiation. It should also cover doctors' visits, diagnostic testing, outpatient surgery, durable medical equipment, mental health services, and certain preventive care screenings. Part C (Medicare Advantage) Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans are private health insurance plans that offer the same benefits as Original Medicare (Part A and Part B). Some plans may offer additional benefits. Part D Part D covers prescription drugs. Your plan may cover some oral chemotherapy drugs, anti-nausea medications, pain medications, and other medications your doctor prescribes as part of your cancer treatment. Different plans have different restrictions on which drugs they'll cover. How much does Medicare pay for cancer treatments? Before you visit any doctor for your cancer treatment, call their office and ask whether they ' accept assignment.' Doctors who accept assignment take the amount that Medicare pays, as well as your copayment, and consider that a 'full payment' for the services you receive. Doctors who have opted out of Medicare may bill more for your treatment than Medicare will cover, leaving you responsible for the remaining costs along with your copay. Here's what you need to know about Medicare costs. Part A Most people don't have to pay for Part A as long as they have worked and paid taxes in the United States for 10 years or longer. Those who must pay for Part A spend either $285 or $518 per month, depending on their work history. There's a deductible of $1,676, and once you've reached the deductible, Part A covers hospital and postsurgery rehab for 2 months. Beyond that, daily costs apply, and after 100 days, you must cover all expenses. For skilled nursing facility care, your extra daily costs start on day 21. Part B Monthly premiums for Part B start at $185 and increase depending on your income bracket. Once you meet the Part B deductible, which is $257 in 2025, Medicare will pay for 80% of any covered treatment or service. Part C Medicare Part C plans are provided by private insurance companies, and the premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance will vary depending on your specific plan. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the average monthly premium for Part C plans is $17 in 2025. Part D Part D plans also come from private insurance companies. The national base beneficiary premium is $36.78 in 2025. In addition, the amount you pay out of pocket for prescriptions depends on the drug tier classified within the plan's formulary. The higher the tier, the more expensive the drug will be, even after coverage kicks in. How much will I pay out of pocket for my cancer treatment? The amount you'll pay out of pocket after your Medicare coverage kicks in depends on your plan as well as the type of cancer you have, how aggressive it is, and the treatment type your doctors prescribe. According to a 2021 research review, adults in the United States might pay anywhere from $180 to $2,600 per month for cancer care. And they might spend another $288 per month on cancer medications. If you enroll in Original Medicare, you can also sign up for a Medigap plan, which is another kind of insurance policy that can help cover your share of the cost after Original Medicare covers its share. But you'll have to pay a premium for Medigap, and that cost will vary depending on which of the 10 available plans you choose. According to a 2025 study, people with cancer who sign up for Part C plans have lower out-of-pocket costs than those who have Original Medicare without Medigap, saving a median of $668 and as much as $9,884 at the 95th percentile. However, people enrolled in Original Medicare who had high expenses for their cancer treatment still saved as much as $9,634 in some cases. Frequently asked questions Can Medicare refuse cancer treatment? Generally, Medicare should cover most treatments that are medically necessary. But if your treatment is denied, you can file an appeal. Is cancer insurance worth it with Medicare? Cancer insurance is a private health insurance plan specifically for cancer treatment. It's an additional, non-Medicare policy you can purchase to help you pay for cancer treatment costs. But whether it's worth buying depends on the added cost and the specific coverage of your plan. If you're at a higher risk of developing certain cancers that are associated with high treatment costs, you may want to consider it.
Health Line
31 minutes ago
- Health Line
Understanding Medicare Plan G Supplemental Coverage
Key takeaways Plan G is a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy that helps cover out-of-pocket costs associated with Original Medicare (parts A and B), including copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles (except for the Medicare Part B deductible). Medigap Plan G provides 100% coverage for Part A coinsurance, hospital costs, Part A deductible, hospice care coinsurance, blood (first 3 pints), and skilled nursing facility care coinsurance, plus 80% coverage for foreign travel emergencies up to plan limits. Medigap Plan G does not cover prescription drugs, the Part B annual deductible, or benefits like dental, hearing, and vision that are not covered under Original Medicare. 'Medigap' is another term for Medicare supplement insurance. Medicare Supplement Plan G is extra insurance you can buy to help cover your portion of costs for medical services with Original Medicare, such as: copayments coinsurance deductibles (with the exception of the Medicare Part B deductible) Original Medicare includes Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance). Medigap Plan G is one of the most popular of the 10 Medigap policies because of its broad coverage, including coverage for Part B excess charges. Keep reading to learn more about Medicare Part G and what it covers. What are Medicare Part B excess charges? Medicare Part B only covers services from healthcare professionals who participate in Medicare. If you choose a doctor who doesn't participate in Medicare, they may charge up to 15% more than the standard Medicare rate. If your Medigap plan does not cover Part B excess charges, you will pay these charges — known as excess charges — out of pocket.
