The Smithsonian secretly created a rule to deaccession 42 Benin Bronzes—worth up to $300 million—to transfer them to heirs of Benin Kingdom slave traders in Nigeria. This violates U.S. law regulating the Smithsonian and it violates the 1st Amendment rights of all Americans protected by Administrative Procedure Act public hearing requirement.
⚖️ A lawsuit challenged this, but woke judges greenlit the transfer. The merits of the case were never evaluated.
📌 20 of 29 bronzes have already been sent to Nigeria. Nine (9) are still at the Smithsonian.
❓ Another 13 are missing. Where are they?
These bronzes were made from metal manillas exchanged for African captives the Benin Kingdom sold into transatlantic slavery. Many of the descendants of these enslaved captives are American citizens demanding access to these relics on US soil where we live because of slavery and ethnocide.
It is unknown whether the Smithsonian has already transferred the 13 bronzes to Nigeria or the Benin Kingdom. The deaccessioning happened despite an active lawsuit challenging the legality of their “ethical return” policy. The lower Court judge misunderstood the case, the Appeals Court never ruled on the merits.
🚨 Demand answers from the DOJ!
📧 Write: mediainquiries@state.gov
Subject: Where Are the $300M Smithsonian Benin Bronzes?!
#Smithsonian #BeninBronzes #WhereAreThey
Restitution Study Group 
You really think you have to right to speak for the 42 million descendants of slavery, to stand in the way of the repatriation of the Benin bronzes is to stand against your own people as I can guarantee the vast majority of us welcome the returning of the all colonial loot to their rightful kingdom, western museums have no right to the artifacts they house, especially when it comes to African heritage, you are a absolute disgrace to our ancestors to keep these artifacts in the very same land our ancestors were enslaved in, the very same land our ancestors called hell, you need to rethink your allegiance, this does nothing but divide African people both in America and on the continent. How shameful to act like you’re fighting for us, when you’re really their instrument of division, I will definitely make sure everyone I know has their eyes opened to what this organization is doing in their name, and even though you might delete this message, we won’t be going anywhere and every time we hear this organizations name, we will be there to fight against your attempts to divide our people. The spirit of Pan Africanism will prevail, and all colonial loot will be returned inshallah
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Actually, there are at least 180 million of us Afrodescendants globally. About 70% of us in the USA want slavery reparations paid from tainted profits by slave trader heirs (companies and families) and over 60% in the UK.
I encourage you to take time to study the true origins of the Benin bronzes—they are not just cultural relics but the metal ones from the 16th to 19th century are tainted profits from the transatlantic slave trade. These bronzes were made from metal manillas, a currency used to purchase our ancestors who were then sold into slavery. They are literally the melted currency.
We have invited our Nigerian family to meet and discuss a shared arrangement between the descendants of the enslaved and the heirs of the royal slave traders. Until that conversation happens, we must advocate for the bronzes to remain where they are. As it stands, the only place where the descendants of Benin Kingdom captives can access them is in Western museums.
Our organization represents those who seek slavery reparations, and these bronzes are part of that restitution. A true reckoning with history requires justice for the descendants of both the enslaved and the enslavers.
Be well.
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Until you can prove that every single piece was made from melted manillas, it’s just speculation. The only ones we should be seeking reparations from are those that enslaved us, as most kingdoms in Africa took part in taking prisoners of war and indentured servants from rival tribes, to claim the Benin kingdom is any more responsible is flawed, to seek retribution from your own people by employing the help of those who invaded, and enslaved millions of our brothers and sisters, clearly shows that you only seek to divide us even more, which goes against the spirit of Pan Africanism and unity… and ultimately it will fail, because nothing and no one will stop what must be done, until everyone and everything that was stolen from the continent is returned unconditionally our struggle/fight will continue.
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The proof of the blood metal slave trade manillas exchanged for our ancestors by the Benin Kingdom then melted and cast into the Benin bronzes is in many books including the Benin Kingdom’s own 2018 book “The Benin Monarchy” on page 205.
https://x.com/deadriafp/status/1574716001651916802
It is most recently verified in German metallurgy scholarship here: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0283415
Also see Alan Ryder “Benin and the Europeans” p 40, and Dan Hicks’ “Brutish” page 219. https://x.com/deadriafp/status/1560473587496243206
It is well known by scholars and learned people. The truth is hidden from Afrodescendants so we can be ignorant and deprived of our ownership rights, and erased from our history. We are winning fights to include the slave trade origin in museum narratives. Our children must know the truth about our legacy wealth — the Benin bronzes — in these museums.
This is not about Europeans, we Afrodescendants are claiming ownership of these bronzes. We asked Nigeria to stand with us and they are being greedy and selfish. I’m not sure who you are or who you represent but it is not Afrodescendants. Afrodescendants want reparations from anyone who enslaved us and are trying to keep the profits – does not matter if they are African royals or European royals. They’re all elites! Not all skinfolk are kinfolk. If they cared, they would meet with us and share, and apologize for selling us for metal to make art. In fact, if they cared, we’d all have automatic citizenship in Africa. They owe us all of this.
I appreciate your passion for African heritage and unity, but we must recognize the facts and not get caught up in emotions … acting like orphans begging for a neglectful mother’s love. Have some diginity!!!
Your argument reflects a deep emotional attachment to Pan-Africanism, but true unity cannot exist without truth and accountability. Ignoring the role of the Benin Kingdom in the transatlantic slave trade is not Pan-Africanism—it is historical amnesia that continues to disadvantage the very people who suffered most
It is concerning that you are more offended by Afrodescendants claiming their rightful place in this history than by the fact that the bronzes exist because of the mass sale of our ancestors. This reaction aligns with psychological patterns like Stockholm Syndrome and colonial mentality, where oppressed groups defend the interests of their historical oppressors.
Our organization is fighting for the descendants of the enslaved to have access to their own history and receive reparations for the crimes committed against us. If anything, it is the push for unquestioned repatriation without addressing the transatlantic slave trade that causes division. The healing of African people—on the continent and in the diaspora—requires acknowledgment of the full truth, not selective memory.
If you truly stand for us and for justice, demand a conversation between Afrodescendants and the Benin Kingdom heirs of the slave traders so we can determine a just and shared arrangement for these artifacts. Until that happens, keeping them in places where descendants of the enslaved can access them is the only fair position.
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