Georgetown University to Address Slavery History

Following the dustup after announcing that one of Georgetown University’s two Jesuit residences, Mulledy Hall, will continue honoring former university president, Rev. Thomas F. Mulledy, S.J., current president John DeGioia charged a group of faculty, students and alumni with addressing the university’s slaveholding history. Mulledy infamously sold 272 slaves owned by the Society of Jesus in Maryland to plantations in Louisiana in order to maximize their value to the university, rather than free them as abolition expanded in the North.

“I have asked this working group to provide advice and recommendations to me on how best to acknowledge and recognize Georgetown’s historical relationship with the institution of slavery, examine and interpret the history of certain sites on our campus, to include Mulledy Hall, and convene events and opportunities for dialogue,” DeGioia wrote.