Professor Bryant
Research Project
Tracing Corporate Progeny
Library Assistant: Hennen
Student Research Assistant:
My research will follow the progeny of the corporate entities that profited from industrial slavery (or peonage). In the book “Slavery By Another Name” (Blackmon, Douglas A. (March 25, 2008). Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-385-50625-0. – describing his experience as a reporter for the Wall Street Journal “asking a provocative question: What would be revealed if American corporations were examined through the same sharp lens of historical confrontation as the one then being trained on German corporations that relied on Jewish slave labor during World War II and the Swiss banks that robbed victims of the Holocaust of their fortunes?”
In “Slavery by Another Name” (and documented in a PBS series) the author notes many companies that used industrial slavery for profit working in collaboration with local sheriffs. Based on the notes at the end of the book, some of the progeny has been traced (i.e. Wachovia Bank). Some of the companies are no longer around, some have merged with other companies, and some were privately owned. The family members in some of the privately owned companies were interviewed in the PBS documentary. Some of the family members were surprised to learn of the source of their family wealth/inheritance.
In addition to just “shining a light” on the corporate progeny and sources of corporate wealth, I’m also working on possible theories of modern day “reparations”. I think remedies are limited, but I am intrigued by environmental law statutes that require corporations that merge with a corporation that has violated EPA regulations to be responsible for any toxic clean-up notwithstanding the merged entity had no direct knowledge of the EPA violations. I’m also interested in other possible legal theories.
It is expected the research assistant will work 10-15 hour over the summer and continue to the fall semester (depending on status of the research).
Students may work on a volunteer basis or in exchange for academic credit through an Internship with a Professor. This may also be a work-study eligible position. Students should confirm their work-study status with Financial Aid.
Professor Bryant will be reviewing applications and conducting interviews for this Research Assistant position on a rolling basis; students are encouraged to apply right away.
To apply, please submit a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to Professor Bryant via email (jill.bryant@mitchellhamline.edu)