Princeton Seminary and Slavery

In the spring of 2016, President Craig Barnes commissioned a committee of faculty and administrators to examine the institution’s historic connections to slavery. This committee studied everything from the demographics of the student body to activities of alumni. They examined the relationship of the Seminary’s founders to slavery, the economic base of the facilities, and the participation of faculty and board members in the American Colonization Society. The historical audit report, which is the product of more than two years of research, uncovers contradictions and complexities in the practices, attitudes, and theological convictions of the Seminary’s early faculty, students, and donors. It clearly depicts both profound moral failings and courageous acts of faithfulness to the Gospel.