Unresolved Issues Exposed by German Universities' Skulls of Herero People

The Discovery of Herero Skulls in German Universities

Response Essay

In the video “Skulls of My People” (The Story of the Skulls), Professor Peter Katjavivi states that when the news broke about the skulls of Herero people being stored in German universities, “it made people to realize that even people who have died a hundred years ago can return to haunt you in one way or the other.”1 In addition to the literal “discovery” of the skulls, what other unresolved issues have the skulls exposed? What issue stands out to you? Why?

In your essay, make a clear statement in response to this question and support your statement by discussing relevant examples from the videos. Please be precise and quote passages from the videos, noting the time in the video in your footnotes. In addition, your essay should bring in another historical example of a “discovery” from the past that has re-exposed unresolved issues. You can also reflect on a similar experience from your own family or community if you wish.

You must use Chicago style footnotes and a bibliography in your essay to show where your information comes from.

Sources:

For your research, you must primarily use the video sources from the syllabus. You may add two additional sources, but they should not be heavily relied upon. Consider using them only for the additional historical example. An essay that relies too much on other sources will not receive a passing grade.