The descendants of slaves sold by Georgetown University are calling on the school to create a billion-dollar “Reconciliation Fund,” one week after the school apologized for its role in the slave trade and promised several (much cheaper) efforts to make up for it.
In 1838, Georgetown sold off 272 slaves in order to pay its debts, selling them for $115,000 (over $3 million in today’s money). In recent years, the school has faced demands from activists who want it to atone for its actions almost 180 years ago.
A week ago, following the release of a report on the matter, Georgetown president John DeGioia announced Georgetown would offer a special admissions preference for any descendants of the 272 slaves the school sold. He also promised to build an on-campus memorial and renamed two buildings, one after a slave sold by the school and another after a woman who founded a local school for black girls. – READ MORE
