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American Ancestors announced the new GU272 Memory Project website on June 19, the anniversary of Juneteenth, the day in 1865 when some American slaves learned they had been freed. Only 206 of the 272 slaves were actually delivered because the Jesuits permitted the elderly and those with spouses living nearby and not owned by Jesuits to remain in Maryland. The website is part of a collaboration between Boston-based American Ancestors, also called the New England Historic Genealogical Society, and the Georgetown Memory Project, which was founded by Georgetown alumnus Richard Cellini. What can you do to make amends?. We encourage you to use these links as we receive a small royalty paid by the partner allowing you to help us without cost to you. He might have disappeared from view again for a time, save for something few could have counted on: his deep, abiding faith. To pay that debt, the Jesuits who ran the school, under the auspices of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus, sold 272 slaves -- the very people that helped build the school itself.. Continue to scroll for fascinating Videos and Books to enhance your learning experience. Join Amazon Prime Watch Thousands of Movies & TV Shows Anytime . Some of that money helped to pay off the debts of the struggling college. In fact, Harvard, Columbia, Brown, University of Virginia did as well. [5] In October of that year, Mulledy succeeded McSherry, who was dying, as provincial superior. [56][62] In 2016, The New York Times published an article that brought the history of the Jesuits' and university's relationship with slavery to national attention. Last edited on 25 February 2023, at 03:24, Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, abolition of slavery in the United States, Slavery at American colleges and universities, "Where were the Jesuit plantations in Maryland? [11] On some plantations, the majority of slaves did not work because they were too young or old. It would not survive, Father Mulledy feared, without an influx of cash. WASHINGTON The human cargo was loaded on ships at a bustling wharf in the nations capital, destined for the plantations of the Deep South. [18] The province was sharply divided, with the American-born Jesuits supporting a sale and the missionary European Jesuits opposing on the basis that it was immoral both to sell their patrimonial lands and to materially and morally harm the slaves by selling them into the Deep South, where they did not want to go. [66] In 2020, the college removed Mulledy's name. [26] Johnson and Batey were to be held jointly and severally liable and each additionally identified a responsible party as a guarantor. Amazing! She does not put much stock in what she describes as casual institutional apologies. But she would like to see a scholarship program that would bring the slaves descendants to Georgetown as students. [50], In 1981, historian Robert Emmett Curran presented at academic conferences a comprehensive research into the Maryland Jesuits' participation in slavery, and published this research in 1983. [69] Several groups of descendants have been created, which have lobbied Georgetown University and the Society of Jesus for reparations, and groups have disagreed with the form that their desired reparations should take. Since youre a frequent reader of our website, we want to be able to share even more great, As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important, Georgetown students voted to pay for reparations. But the 1838 slave sale organized by the Jesuits, who founded and ran Georgetown, stands out for its sheer size, historians say. Login to post. The enslaved African-Americans had belonged to the nations most prominent Jesuit priests. [64] Mulledy Hall, a student dormitory that opened in 1966,[65] was renamed as BrooksMulledy Hall in 2016, adding the name of a later president, John E. Brooks, who worked to racially integrate the college. While they continued to support gradual emancipation, they believed that this option was becoming increasingly untenable, as the Maryland public's concern grew about the expanding number of free blacks. A Reflection for Saturday of the First Week of Lent, by Christopher Parker. What Does It Owe Their Descendants? (Best for messages specifically directed to those editing this profile. [1] The Jesuits received land patents from Lord Baltimore in 1636, were gifted land in the some Catholic Marylanders' wills, and purchased some land on their own, eventually becoming substantial landowners in the colony. Its hard to know what could possibly reconcile a history like this, he said. In 1844, Henry Johnson sold a share of Chatham and would eventually sell the remainder of his land and enslaved people to John R. Thompson in 1851. African-Americans are often a fleeting presence in the documents of the 1800s. By the 1830s, however, their physical and religious conditions had improved considerably. [48] In 1977, the Maryland Province named Georgetown's Lauinger Library as the custodian of its historic archives, which were made available to the public through the Georgetown University Library, Saint Louis University Library, and Maryland State Library. In 1838, the Jesuit priests who ran the countrys top Catholic university needed money to keep it alive. [34] During the controversy, Mulledy fell into alcoholism. A Reflection for Friday of the First Week of Lent, by Jill Rice. The students organized a protest and a sit-in, using the hashtag #GU272 for the slaves who were sold. When you register, youll get unlimited access to our website and a free subscription to our email newsletter for daily updates with a smart, Catholic take on faith and culture from. Ms. Crump, 69, has been asking herself that question, too. More than half were younger than 20, and nearly a third were not yet 10 years old. Many have been located; however, it is difficult to determine exactly how many were exploited by the University in this financial transaction. Moreover, men and women held in bondage were also part of the day-to-day operation of Georgetown College in its early decades. And they were sold, along with scores of others, to help secure the future of the premier Catholic institution of higher learning at the time, known today as Georgetown University. One building is now named in honor of a slave who was 65 years old when he was sold in 1838. Meet Paul Haring, the CNS photographer who covered the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and the election of Francis, numerous international papal trips and the daily action of Vatican life for over a decade. However, the total number of slaves is only one way to measure the level of slavery in a country. (Slaves were often donated by prosperous parishioners.) [65], On April 18, 2017, DeGioia, along with the provincial superior of the Maryland Province, and the president of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, held a liturgy in which they formally apologized on behalf of their respective institutions for their participation in slavery. The week also provided opportunities for members of the descendant community to connect with one another and with Jesuits through a private vigil on Monday night, a descendant-only dinner on Tuesday evening and tours of the Maryland plantation where their ancestors were enslaved. Now, for the first time, Ms. Crump understood its origins. Georgetown and the Society of Jesus Maryland Province have issued an apology for their role in this action to more than 100 descendants who had been traced at the time of the apology. But the decision to sell virtually all of their enslaved African-Americans in the 1830s left some priests deeply troubled. But priests at the Jesuit plantations recounted the panic and fear they witnessed when the slaves departed. Within two weeks, Mr. Cellini had set up a nonprofit, the Georgetown Memory Project, hired eight genealogists and raised more than $10,000 from fellow alumni to finance their research. [40] The remaining $17,000, equivalent to approximately $440,000 in 2021,[25] was used to offset part of Georgetown College's $30,000 of debt that had accrued during the construction of buildings during Mulledy's prior presidency of the college. Leave a message for others who see this profile. He listened . Her ancestors, once amorphous and invisible, are finally taking shape in her mind. Richard Cellini, the chief executive of a technology company and a Georgetown alumnus, hired eight genealogists to track down the slaves and their descendants. [10], Due to these extensive landholdings, the Propaganda Fide in Rome had come to view the American Jesuits negatively, believing they lived lavishly like manorial lords. In 1836, the Jesuit Superior General, Jan Roothaan, authorized the provincial superior to carry out the sale on three conditions: the slaves must be permitted to practice their Catholic faith, their families must not be separated, and the proceeds of the sale must be used only to support Jesuits in training. Password reset instructions will be sent to your registered email address. On June 19, 1838, the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus agreed to sell 272 slaves to two southern Louisiana sugar planters, former governor Henry Johnson and Jesse Batey, for $115,000, equivalent to $2.79 million in 2020, in order to rescue Georgetown University from bankruptcy. Keynote || Radcliffe Institute WELCOME Lizabeth Cohen, Dean, Radcliffe Institute, and Howard Mumford Jones Professor of American Studies, Harvard University OPENING REMARKS (12:07) Drew Gilpin Faust, President and Lincoln Professor of History, Harvard University KEYNOTE (15:51) Ta-Nehisi Coates, Journalist; National Correspondent, the Atlantic: Author, Between the World and Me (Spiegel & Grau, 2015) and The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood (Spiegel & Grau, 2008) Conversation between Ta-Nehisi Coates and Drew Gilpin Faust (34:37). [5] McSherry delayed selling the slaves because their market value had greatly diminished as a result of the Panic of 1837,[24] and because he was searching for a buyer who would agree to these conditions. IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE & DISCLAIMER: YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE CAUTION WHEN DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE INFORMATION. The college relied on Jesuit plantations in Maryland to help finance its operations, university officials say. [33], Almost immediately, the sale, which was one of the largest slave sales in the history of the United States,[28] became a scandal among American Catholics. [22], In October 1836, Roothaan officially authorized the Maryland Jesuits to sell their slaves, so long as three conditions were satisfied: the slaves were to be permitted to practice their Catholic faith, their families were not to be separated, and the proceeds of the sale had to be used to support Jesuits in training,[23] rather than to pay down debts. He was about 48 then, a father, a husband, a farm laborer and, finally, a free man. Georgetown University (Daniel Slim/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images) Article A genealogical organization launched a free website Wednesday to help those who want to learn more about the. But he was persuaded to reconsider by several prominent Jesuits, including Father Mulledy, then the influential president of Georgetown who had overseen its expansion, and Father McSherry, who was in charge of the Jesuits Maryland mission. [15], While Roothaan decided in 1831, based on the advice of the Maryland Mission superior, Francis Dzierozynski, that the Jesuits should maintain and improve their plantations rather than sell them, Kenney and his advisors (Thomas Mulledy, William McSherry, and Stephen Dubuisson) wrote to Roothaan in 1832 about the growing public opposition to slavery in the United States, and strongly urged Roothaan to allow the Jesuits to gradually free their slaves. [5] The first record of slaves working Jesuit plantations in Maryland dates to 1711, but it is likely that there were slave laborers on the plantations a generation before then. Photo by Claire Vail. Having descendant voices present alongside historical documents is an essential part of the GU272 narrative, said Claire Vail, the projects director for American Ancestors, in an announcement about the website. list of slaves sold by georgetown university. He demanded that Mulledy travel to Rome to answer the charges of disobeying orders and promoting scandal. This is not a disembodied group of people, who are nameless and faceless, said Mr. Cellini, 52, whose company, Briefcase Analytics, is based in Cambridge, Mass. Key then transferred this property to John R. Thompson. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Twenty-seven years earlier, a document dated June 19, 1838, showed that Maryland Jesuit priests sold 272 slaves to the owners of Louisiana plantations. Check out some of the. ", New England Historic Genealogical Society, "They thought Georgetown University's missing slaves were 'lost.' CONTENT MAY BE COPYRIGHTED BY WIKITREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. Some tips for making the most of your twilight years. This has made people reluctant to see the past and this has had a long term harm by remaining hidden and allowed to fester. Your source for jobs, books, retreats, and much more. [30] In total, only 206 are known to have been transported to Louisiana. [28], Anticipating that some of the Jesuit plantation managers who opposed the sale would encourage their slaves to flee, Mulledy, along with Johnson and a sheriff, arrived at each of the plantations unannounced to gather the first 51 slaves for transport. Banks would finance land purchases using slaves as collateral. This sale was overseen by Provincial Superior William McSherry and Friar Thomas Mulledy. The presidents of Harvard University and Georgetown University discuss their institutions historic ties to slavery in a conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates. From these estates, the Jesuits traveled the countryside on horseback, administering the sacraments and catechizing the Catholic laity. [42], Before the abolition of slavery in the United States in 1865, many slaves sold by the Jesuits changed ownership several times. We have committed to finding ways that members of the Georgetown and Descendant communities can be engaged together in efforts that advance racial justice and enable every member of our Georgetown community to confront and engage with Georgetowns history with slavery.. The Jesuits ultimately received payment many years late and never received the full $115,000. It will challenge and change your understanding of what we were as Americans and of what we are. Chicago Tribune In this groundbreaking historical expos, Douglas A. Blackmon brings to light one of the most shameful chapters in American history an Age of Neo slavery that thrived from the aftermath of the Civil War through the dawn of World War II. Use our links to Amazon anytime you shop Amazon. As a result, he had to sell his property in the 1840s and renegotiate the terms of his payment. In the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and the Catholic Church were among the largest slaveholding institutions in America. 2023 A Month of Tribute to 31 Women We Should All Know, Rosewood A Typical Race Riot in America. Timothy Kesicki, S.J., president of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, during a morning Liturgy of Remembrance, Contrition, and Hope. Your email address will not be published. In November, the university agreed to remove the names of the Rev. For Black History Month 2021, we focused on Black Medical Achievements, Inventors and Scientists.To see those posts, click here. [58] In November of that year, following a student-led protest and sit-in,[59] the working group recommended that the university temporarily rename Mulledy Hall (which opened during Mulledy's presidency in 1833)[60] to Freedom Hall, and McSherry Hall (which opened in 1792 and housed a meditation center)[61] to Remembrance Hall. On June 19, 1838, the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus agreed to sell 272 slaves to two Louisiana planters, Henry Johnson and Jesse Batey, for $115,000 (equivalent to approximately $2.96million in 2021). In recognizing the role Georgetown in the use of slaves as money, they are recognizing some of the depths of what slavery actually represented. Descendants are learning new links to their pasts as a result of the project. He addressed his concerns to Father Mulledy, who three years earlier had returned to his post as president of Georgetown. And she learned that Cornelius had worked the soil of a 2,800-acre estate that straddled the Bayou Maringouin. It also features audio recordings in which descendants recall memories, from segregated education to family migration away from the South. GU272 descendent Carolyn Smith gestures toward gravestones of descendants of enslaved people in Houma, La. Central concepts and key points are illustrated through campus examples. It is better to prevent than to attempt to remedy. They were looked on not as humans but as collateral and sold to secure the future of this great Catholic institution that hold such a place of honor to this day. To pay that debt, the university sold 272 slaves the very people that helped build the school itself. Many institutions owned slaves and Georgetown University was no exception. We encourage you to visit our website, call us at (202)-687-8330, or email us at descendants@georgetown.edu if you are interested in learning more or sharing your ideas and reflections. While it would seem as if there would be some mention of this in history, it remained largely unknown. [45] Patrick and Woolfolk's slaves were then sold in July 1859 to Emily Sparks, the widow of Austin Woolfolk. Peter Havermans wrote of an elderly woman who fell to her knees, begging to know what she had done to deserve such a fate, according to Robert Emmett Curran, a retired Georgetown historian who described eyewitness accounts of the sale in his research. It is interesting that the date was June 19th as many years later, it was on what is now recognized as Juneteenth. It soon became clear that Roothaan's conditions had not been fully met. She later joined the Oblate Sisters of Providence, recognized as the oldest active Roman Catholic sisterhood in the Americas established by women of African descent. Now students, professors and alumni want to know what happened to those men and women and what the university will do moving forward. Georgetown is not the only institution that has prospered on the backs of enslaved people. To see the posts, click here. James Van de Velde, a Jesuit who visited Louisiana, wrote in a letter in 1848. Tweet. Please see also: Slaves Transported on the Katherine Jackson of Georgetown, Arriving New Orleans 6 Dec 1838, Source: "List of slaves on each estate to be sold," Box 40, Folder 10, Maryland Province Archives[2], Categories: Ascension Parish, Louisiana, Slave Owners | Ascension Parish, Louisiana, Slaves | Iberville Parish, Louisiana, Slave Owners | Iberville Parish, Louisiana, Slaves | Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia | Georgetown University Slaves | District of Columbia, Slave Owners | District of Columbia, Slaves | Maryland, Slaves | Maryland, Slave Owners, WIKITREE HOME | ABOUT | G2G FORUM | HELP | SEARCH. in Fr. A few priests expressed qualms about the morality of human trafficking to Jesuit authorities, although most were concerned with the threat a heavily Protestant South would undoubtedly present to the slaves Catholic faith, it reads. They found the last physical marker of Corneliuss journey at the Immaculate Heart of Mary cemetery, where Ms. Crumps father, grandmother and great-grandfather are also buried. Drawing from campus-based research projects sponsored by the Association of American Colleges and Universities and the Center for Urban Education at the University of Southern California, this invaluable resource provides real-world steps that reinforce primary elements for examining equity in student achievement, while challenging educators to specifically focus on racial equity as a critical lens for institutional and systemic change. Cornelius had originally been shipped to a plantation so far from a church that he had married in a civil ceremony. [27], The articles of agreement listed each of the slaves being sold by name. Now that we have this data, my hope is that we can use it to open doors and make connections. (RNS) A genealogical association has launched a new website detailing the family histories of slaves who were sold to keep Catholic-run Georgetown University from bankruptcy in the 1800s. Revealed: The Slave Sold to Save Georgetown by Stacy M. Brown March 22, 2017 Frank Campbell was sold in 1838 to help save Georgetown. Other slaves were sold locally in Maryland so that they would not be separated from their spouses who were either free or owned by non-Jesuits, in compliance with Roothaan's order. To comment or make suggestions on future posts, use Contact Us. The sale however is the largest one acknowledged to date. Participants in this discussion are: Drew Gilpin Faust, President, Harvard University. [70], The Corporation of Roman Catholic Clergymen was created in 1792 to preserve the property of the.