Benin bronzes should be entrusted to descendants of the enslaved Thank you for your editorial on the Benin bronzes (“At the Museum of Fine Arts, a chance for justice,” April 27). However, calling for the repatriation of the plundered artworks to Nigeria erases the descendants of the enslaved Africans whose lives paid for these artifacts. …
From Manillas to Mastery: Afrodescendants Reclaim Benin Bronze Legacy Through Law, Art, and Ancestral Tribute
The Restitution Study Group (RSG) proudly announces a powerful trilogy of milestones in the global movement for reparatory justice: LEGISLATIVE BREAKTHROUGH: Tuesday, March 25th, 2025, Illinois State Rep. Carol Ammons introduced House Resolution 0211—a historic bill recognizing the slave trade origins of the Benin Bronzes and calling for joint stewardship, transparent inventories, and cultural healing for descendants …
🚨 Where Are the $300M Smithsonian Benin Bronzes?! 🚨
https://youtu.be/X6vgBMLvUTs?si=u8CAobqoylEVsR6y 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 …
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NPR PODCAST — Unraveling the Benin Bronze Controversy: A Must-Listen Podcast & Exclusive Insights
Listen to the NPR podcast: For those still catching up on the ongoing battle over the Benin bronzes, NPR’s latest award winning Throughline podcast, "The Kingdom Behind the Glass," delivers an insightful deep dive, featuring none other than Deadria Farmer-Paellmann, Executive Director of the Restitution Study Group along with other prominent voices in this battle — Ore Ogunbiyi, Africa …
Museum Rietberg Adds Slave Trade Origin of Benin Bronzes to Exhibit
ZÜRICH, Switzerland — In a groundbreaking development for cultural heritage dialogue, Museum Rietberg has expanded its Benin Bronzes exhibition to include crucial perspectives from the Restitution Study Group (RSG), marking a significant step toward the inclusive stewardship of these historic artifacts. The exhibition, which concludes on February 16, 2025, now features a dedicated panel highlighting the …
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New Video
Opening Session of Historic Benin Kingdom Museum Bronze-Making Fellowship https://youtu.be/nH69BN7mxvY Benin Kingdom Museum Bronze Making-Fellows. On January 11, 2025, at 11 a.m. ET, the Restitution Study Group (RSG) hosted the opening session of the Benin Kingdom Bronze-Making Fellowship, moderated by RSG Founder and Executive Director Deadria Farmer-Paellmann. The session featured special remarks by His Highness …
Restitution Study Group Announces Inaugural Fellowship Program in Bronze Making
New York, NY — The Restitution Study Group (RSG), a New York-based 501(c)(3) slavery reparatory justice institute, is proud to announce the launch of the Benin Kingdom Museum Bronze Making Fellowship Program—a groundbreaking initiative to preserve and educate about the artistry and historical legacy of Benin Kingdom bronze making, rooted in the transatlantic slave trade. …
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!
As we bid farewell to 2024, the Restitution Study Group reflects on its continued mission to advocate for reparatory justice, corporate accountability for antebellum slavery, and the true provenance and proper ownership of cultural property. This year, we have made significant strides in raising awareness about the slave trade origin of the Benin Bronzes by …
Justice Pilgrimage: Reparations Leader Documents Benin Bronzes Controversy in Washington, D.C.
Deadria Farmer-Paellmann, Executive Director of the Restitution Study Group, a 24-year-old New York City-based reparatory justice organization, recently visited Washington, D.C. on a mission to pray for justice for enslaved ancestors, truth, and the future of Afrodescendants. The visit was in anticipation of an upcoming decision by the US Supreme Court to review a writ …
NEW BOOK RELEASE
Deadria Farmer-Paellmann, Et Al. v Smithsonian Institution Explore the landmark legal battle over the transfer of 29 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria. This book is a commemorative copy of the "Petition for Writ of Certiorari" challenging the Smithsonian's actions, emphasizing the bronzes' significance to descendants of enslaved Africans and advocating for their retention in the U.S. …
Restitution Study Group 