The movement to investigate the historical ties between universities and slavery began gaining momentum in the early 2000s. Several key factors contributed to the initiation and growth of this movement:

1. Brown University's Pioneering Role (2003): The formal beginning of this movement is often traced back to 2003, when Brown University President Ruth Simmons, the first African-American president of an Ivy League institution, established the Steering Committee on Slavery and Justice. This committee was tasked with investigating Brown's historical connections to slavery and the transatlantic slave trade. Brown's comprehensive report, released in 2006, set a precedent for other universities to follow.

2. Increased Historical Scholarship: Over the past few decades, historians have been uncovering and documenting the extensive economic, social, and cultural impacts of slavery. This scholarship has revealed that many universities, particularly in the United States, were either directly or indirectly connected to the institution of slavery through funding, benefactors, and the use of enslaved labor.

3. Public Awareness and Social Movements: The rise of social movements such as Black Lives Matter and increased public awareness about racial injustice have highlighted the importance of addressing historical wrongs. These movements have pressured institutions to confront their pasts and acknowledge their roles in perpetuating systemic racism.

4. Moral and Ethical Accountability: Universities have come to recognize the moral and ethical imperative to investigate and acknowledge their historical ties to slavery. This includes understanding how these ties have contributed to their development and the need to make reparative actions.

5. Inter-University Collaboration: The establishment of the Universities Studying Slavery (USS) consortium has facilitated collaboration and shared best practices among institutions engaged in these projects. USS, founded by the University of Virginia, has become a network where universities can share research findings, methodologies, and strategies for addressing their historical connections to slavery.

6. Student and Faculty Advocacy: Advocacy by students and faculty has also been a driving force behind these projects. Many universities initiated these investigations in response to demands from their campus communities for greater transparency and accountability regarding their historical connections to slavery and racism.

As more universities embarked on these investigations, the movement gained momentum and visibility. Each institution's findings have not only contributed to a deeper understanding of the pervasive impact of slavery but also prompted broader discussions about how to address historical injustices in higher education and beyond.