“Genealogical trees do not flourish among slaves.” — Frederick Douglass

Hear Tamara Lanier explain how buying a salad at an ice cream store and a promise to her dying mother led to discovering that Harvard University possessed images of her enslaved great, great, great grandfather, Renty Taylor, and his daughter, Delia. Learn how oral history, research and luck led to that discovery and how that discovery has led to a landmark lawsuit against Harvard over who owns the record of past injustices and whether past injustices are relevant in determining ownership.

Tamara K. Lanier is a tireless champion for truth and justice, and her advocacy has taken her to many parts of the state, country and even the world.

Lanier is a 27-year veteran of the State of Connecticut Judicial Branch, retiring in 2017 as a Chief Probation Officer II in the Norwich Probation Office.  

Lanier has a long and distinguished record of public service and social advocacy with past affiliations with organizations such as The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives; A Commissioner for the City of Norwich Ethics Commission; The (Abraham) Lincoln Forum of South Eastern CT; The U.S. Attorney’s working group to monitor federal and state civil rights compliance with educational institutions; and she is a member of the Commissioner of Education’s Roundtable for family and Community Engagement.

In May of 2015, She was named Woman of the Year by the Connecticut General Assembly’s Commission on Afro-American Affairs. In November of 2016, Lanier received the Connecticut Commission of Human Rights and Opportunities’ Leaders and Legends Award and the 2019 Inspirational Women’s Award. She is an active member, engaged with The ACLU of CT; The Connecticut’s Racial Profiling Prohibition Board; The Vice President of the New London NAACP and The Saint John’s Christian Church of Groton, CT.

Lanier has several passions, one of which is to eradicate racial and ethnic disparities in Connecticut’s Criminal Justice System and to put an end to the ugly practice of racial profiling. She has been a constant voice for change. Lanier has also traveled the country promoting the need for a national dialogue relative to slavery and its impact on society. Lanier has met with such dignitaries as the Congressman John Lewis of Atlanta, and Congressman John Conyers, former Dean of the House of Representatives to discuss the potential for federal legislation mandating the protection of cultural relics of slavery.