The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) says it will repatriate about 2,700 Native American hair clippings held in its collection. Multiple reports say the museum plans to add the hair samples to its formal list of items for return to Indigenous tribes, after determining they fall under requirements of a 1990 federal law governing repatriation.
The hair clippings are described as having been collected for an exhibition connected to the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. After AMNH identified the materials decades after they were obtained, the museum said it is taking steps to return them to the relevant tribes, consistent with the federal repatriation framework.
The reporting also characterizes AMNH’s effort as a late response, emphasizing that the materials have been in the museum’s holdings for many years. The museum’s actions focus on meeting legal obligations for repatriation and coordinating with tribes on the return of the associated cultural items.
