The research will examine the financial benefits that Cambridge University may have gained from the slave trade, as well as investigate how academic studies may have perpetuated race-based beliefs from the 18th to the early 20th century. Estimates suggest that between 10 million and 28 million Africans were forcibly transported across the Atlantic from the 15th to the 19th centuries, with many perishing during the journey and those who survived facing a lifetime of servitude on plantations. Although Britain outlawed the trans-Atlantic slave trade in 1807, it took another generation before slavery was fully abolished. Martin Millett, who leads the advisory group overseeing the Cambridge study, stated that it is not clear what the investigation will uncover, but it is reasonable to believe that the University may have gained from the slave trade. Millett, who is a professor of archaeology, mentioned that like many other British institutions during the colonial era, Cambridge likely benefitted directly or indirectly from the practices of the time. He also highlighted the importance of examining how scholars at the University influenced public and political opinion regarding racial attitudes that are now considered unacceptable. The inquiry will be carried out by two full-time post-doctoral researchers at the Centre of African Studies. The study will investigate specific donations, inheritances, and historical ties to the slave trade. It is uncertain what steps Cambridge University will take if it discovers that it profited from or supported slavery. Many prestigious universities in the Western world have been evaluating their histories and the origins of their wealth. In the U.S., universities in the South have faced controversies over the Confederate flag. In 2017, Yale University changed the name of Calhoun College after protests argued that the school should not honor an alumnus who strongly supported slavery. Grace Hopper College is now named after the computer scientist. In the UK, Oxford University is facing a debate about removing a statue of colonialist Cecil Rhodes. Glasgow University has announced plans for reparative justice after uncovering financial gains from historical slavery. Cambridge's vice chancellor, Stephen Toope, believes it is important for universities to confront their past involvement in dark periods of history. However, critics argue that such investigations are driven by a contemporary trend of revisiting past injustices, often lack complexity, and, if applied broadly, would call into question nearly every aspect of the early history of these ancient establishments. Gill Evans, emeritus professor of medieval theology and intellectual history at Cambridge University, stated that due to the current "anti-colonialism" environment, universities now feel compelled to examine their historical connections with colonialism. According to Evans, it is important to understand the context of the time before assigning blame, as the actions of individuals in the past may not align with modern perspectives. Responsibility cannot simply be transferred from one era to another without some consideration of the nuances involved. Cambridge, one of the most ancient universities in the world, can trace its origins back over 800 years to 1209 when scholars from Oxford sought refuge in the city, which itself dates back to 1096.