Unique

Unique Blount

June 21, 2026

Final Project

Who Really Owns History?

Imagine if a stranger entered your home, took a treasured family heirloom, displayed it in another country for more than a century, and then argued that it belonged there. Most people would recognize that as wrong. Yet this is exactly what happened to the Benin Bronzes, a collection of cultural and historical treasures taken from the Kingdom of Benin during the British invasion of Benin City in 1897. More than 125 years later, many of these artifacts remain in museums across Europe and North America. It is time for governments and museums to establish stronger policies that support the ethical return of cultural artifacts to the communities that created them.

The story of the Benin Bronzes begins with the British military expedition of 1897. During the attack on Benin City, British forces looted thousands of valuable objects from the royal palace. These artifacts were later sold to museums and private collectors throughout the world. What was once part of a living culture became scattered across institutions that often ignored the circumstances under which the objects were acquired. Understanding this history is important because it shows that the issue is not simply about art. It is about justice, ownership, and the lasting effects of colonialism.

Many museums have argued that they can better preserve and protect these artifacts than the countries from which they were taken. However, this argument overlooks the fact that cultural heritage belongs to the people who created it. The value of the Benin Bronzes extends far beyond their appearance. They represent history, identity, tradition, and the achievements of the Edo people. Keeping these artifacts in foreign institutions continues a pattern in which powerful nations decide what happens to the cultural property of others.

Recent developments have made the need for action even clearer. In 2023, the Oba of Benin issued a decree affirming ownership and authority over returned Benin Bronzes. This decision created a framework for the management of repatriated artifacts and addressed many questions surrounding their future care. As Obiora (2025) explains, traditional institutions continue to play an important role in cultural heritage law and the protection of historical objects. The decree demonstrates that there are legitimate local authorities prepared to oversee these important cultural treasures.

The return of cultural artifacts should not depend on voluntary decisions by individual museums. Governments should establish clear legislation that requires institutions to review the origins of contested artifacts and create pathways for restitution when evidence of colonial looting exists. Museums should also work collaboratively with source communities throughout the process. According to Stamatoudi (2023), cultural heritage management requires ethical responsibility and greater attention to the rights of communities connected to these objects. Restitution should be viewed as an opportunity to build international partnerships rather than as a loss for museums.

Some critics argue that returning artifacts will empty museum collections or limit public access. In reality, repatriation does not prevent cooperation. Museums can continue to collaborate through traveling exhibitions, educational partnerships, digital archives, and research initiatives. Returning ownership does not mean ending cultural exchange. Instead, it creates relationships based on respect and fairness.

The Benin Bronzes are more than museum objects. They are pieces of a people's history that were taken during a violent period of colonial expansion. Governments, museum leaders, and policymakers should act now to create stronger restitution laws and ethical guidelines for cultural property. Returning these artifacts is not simply about correcting mistakes from the past. It is about recognizing the rights of communities to control their own history and ensuring that cultural heritage remains connected to the people who gave it meaning.

References

Obiora, L. A. (2025). Traditional institutions and cultural heritage law: The case of Benin Bronzes. The Journal of African History, 66, e20.

Stamatoudi, I. A. (2023). Dealing with illicit trade in cultural objects in the context of cultural heritage management for museums. Santander Art and Culture Law Review, 9(2), 87–116.

Course readings on colonial collecting practices and the repatriation of cultural heritage.

Course materials regarding the 1897 British expedition and the Benin Bronzes.

Overview & Purpose

This is the culminating assignment for our course. Over the last five weeks, we have investigated the 1897 sacking of Benin City, traced global provenance using digital archives, deconstructed the defensive rhetoric of the "Universal Museum," and looked at how literature and memoirs capture the human and psychological weight of cultural theft.

Now, it is your turn to build a forward-looking solution. For your final project, you will synthesize the historical, institutional, and literary frameworks we have studied to present a practical, persuasive approach to artifact restitution. You should follow the exact format, audience, and artifact focus that you outlined in your Module 4 proposal memo and revised based on my feedback.

Instructions & Format Options

Your final submission must be polished, professional, and grounded in our course materials. Select the instructions below that correspond to your chosen path based on your memo from last week:

Option 1: The Op-Ed (Public Advocacy)

· The Task: Write a compelling public opinion piece advocating for a specific legislative, institutional, or cultural change regarding the repatriation of the Benin Bronzes.

· Target Audience: Readers of a major national or international publication (e.g., The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Lagos Guardian).

· Length & Requirements: 500 words. Your writing must include a sharp, attention-grabbing hook, clear contextual background on the 1897 expedition, and a specific call to action. It should balance passionate advocacy with rigorous historical evidence.

Option 2: The Podcast Script (The Geopolitical Debate)

· The Task: Write a complete, production-ready script for an episode of a narrative or discussion-based podcast (similar to NPR's Throughline). Your script must detail the modern geopolitical and domestic tensions surrounding returned artifacts—specifically analyzing the complex dynamic between national state governments (like the Nigerian state) and traditional monarchies (the Oba of Benin and his 2023 royal decree).

· Target Audience: Engaged public listeners interested in global history, politics, and culture.

· Length & Requirements: 500 word script or a five-minute recording. Include clear audio cues (e.g., [SFX: Fade in traditional drumming], [HOST VOICE], [GUEST VOICE/QUOTATION]). The script or cast must feature a balanced exploration of multiple worldviews before arriving at a final conclusion.

Option 3: The Internal Museum Action Plan (Institutional Policy)

· The Task: Draft a formal strategic action plan for a board of directors or trustees at a mid-sized Western museum that currently holds contested artifacts in its collection.

· Target Audience: Museum executives, legal counsel, and board members.

· Length & Requirements: 2-3 pages (approx. 1500 words) single-spaced with professional document design (clear sections, bullet points, headers). Your plan must outline a practical, step-by-step ethical framework for provenance auditing, community consultation, and the eventual legal/logistical repatriation of contested items.

Core Constraints for All Formats

Regardless of the format you choose, your final project must meet the following criteria:

1. Evidence Integration: You must explicitly weave in and cite at least three distinct course materials (e.g., Dan Hicks' The Brutish Museums, the Sarr-Savoy Report, Wole Soyinka's memoir/Nobel lecture, or the Digital Benin archive).

2. Clear Argument/Claim: Your project must put forward a definitive, clear argument or policy position regarding how restitution should be handled.

3. Post-Colonial/Modern Framework: Your work must actively move past traditional, uncritical institutional narratives and center the perspectives, sovereignty, and history of the creators.

Unique Blount

June 21, 2026

Final Project

Who Really Owns History?

Imagine if a stranger entered your home, took a treasured family heirloom, displayed it in another country for more than a century, and then argued that it belonged there. Most people would recognize that as wrong. Yet this is exactly what happened to the Benin Bronzes, a collection of cultural and historical treasures taken from the Kingdom of Benin during the British invasion of Benin City in 1897. More than 125 years later, many of these artifacts remain in museums across Europe and North America. It is time for governments and museums to establish stronger policies that support the ethical return of cultural artifacts to the communities that created them.

The story of the Benin Bronzes begins with the British military expedition of 1897. During the attack on Benin City, British forces looted thousands of valuable objects from the royal palace. These artifacts were later sold to museums and private collectors throughout the world. What was once part of a living culture became scattered across institutions that often ignored the circumstances under which the objects were acquired. Understanding this history is important because it shows that the issue is not simply about art. It is about justice, ownership, and the lasting effects of colonialism.

Many museums have argued that they can better preserve and protect these artifacts than the countries from which they were taken. However, this argument overlooks the fact that cultural heritage belongs to the people who created it. The value of the Benin Bronzes extends far beyond their appearance. They represent history, identity, tradition, and the achievements of the Edo people. Keeping these artifacts in foreign institutions continues a pattern in which powerful nations decide what happens to the cultural property of others.

Recent developments have made the need for action even clearer. In 2023, the Oba of Benin issued a decree affirming ownership and authority over returned Benin Bronzes. This decision created a framework for the management of repatriated artifacts and addressed many questions surrounding their future care. As Obiora (2025) explains, traditional institutions continue to play an important role in cultural heritage law and the protection of historical objects. The decree demonstrates that there are legitimate local authorities prepared to oversee these important cultural treasures.

The return of cultural artifacts should not depend on voluntary decisions by individual museums. Governments should establish clear legislation that requires institutions to review the origins of contested artifacts and create pathways for restitution when evidence of colonial looting exists. Museums should also work collaboratively with source communities throughout the process. According to Stamatoudi (2023), cultural heritage management requires ethical responsibility and greater attention to the rights of communities connected to these objects. Restitution should be viewed as an opportunity to build international partnerships rather than as a loss for museums.

Some critics argue that returning artifacts will empty museum collections or limit public access. In reality, repatriation does not prevent cooperation. Museums can continue to collaborate through traveling exhibitions, educational partnerships, digital archives, and research initiatives. Returning ownership does not mean ending cultural exchange. Instead, it creates relationships based on respect and fairness.

The Benin Bronzes are more than museum objects. They are pieces of a people's history that were taken during a violent period of colonial expansion. Governments, museum leaders, and policymakers should act now to create stronger restitution laws and ethical guidelines for cultural property. Returning these artifacts is not simply about correcting mistakes from the past. It is about recognizing the rights of communities to control their own history and ensuring that cultural heritage remains connected to the people who gave it meaning.

References

Obiora, L. A. (2025). Traditional institutions and cultural heritage law: The case of Benin Bronzes. The Journal of African History, 66, e20.

Stamatoudi, I. A. (2023). Dealing with illicit trade in cultural objects in the context of cultural heritage management for museums. Santander Art and Culture Law Review, 9(2), 87–116.

Course readings on colonial collecting practices and the repatriation of cultural heritage.

Course materials regarding the 1897 British expedition and the Benin Bronzes.