Facing Georgetown's History: A Reader on Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation

Georgetown University's history is intertwined with American slavery, from the seventeenth century's tobacco economy to the nineteenth century's domestic slave trade. This collection of primary and secondary readings explores the university's involvement in slavery, including its ties to the Society of Jesus in Maryland. It also highlights current efforts at recovery, repair, and reconciliation, part of a broader contemporary moment of reckoning with American history and its legacies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 16 June 2021
Publisher: Georgetown University Press

Georgetown University's early history, deeply intertwined with the Society of Jesus in Maryland, serves as a poignant reflection of the history of American slavery. Spanning from the seventeenth to eighteenth centuries, when chattel slavery thrived in the tobacco economy of the Chesapeake region, to the founding of the United States, where the contradictions between liberty and slavery were starkly evident, to the nineteenth century when the domestic slave trade expanded to the cotton and sugar kingdoms of the Deep South, this history is a complex tapestry of human suffering and injustice.

The political conflict over slavery, culminating in the Civil War, brought about the eventual overthrow of this cruel institution. However, the legacies of slavery continue to haunt us, manifesting in the enduring forms of racism and inequality that persist in society. Georgetown's history with slavery is not limited to its past; it is also emblematic of the intricate relationship between American higher education and religious institutions.

Important primary sources, drawn from the university's and the Maryland Jesuits' archives, provide a detailed account of Georgetown's involvement in slavery. These sources include records of the sizes of shoes distributed to enslaved people on the Jesuit plantations that subsidized the school, shedding light on the economic and material dimensions of this relationship.

The volume also includes scholarship on Jesuit slaveholding in Maryland and at Georgetown, offering insights into the complicity and complexities of this period. News coverage of the university's relationship with slavery, as well as reflections from descendants of the people owned and sold by the Maryland Jesuits, further enrich the understanding of this troubled past.

These essays, articles, and documents serve as a gateway to the history of Georgetown's involvement in slavery and the ongoing efforts to confront this troubling legacy. The university's "Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation Initiative" is a testament to its commitment to recovery, repair, and reconciliation. This initiative encompasses a wide range of activities, including research, education, and community engagement, aimed at promoting understanding, empathy, and healing among all members of society.

In the broader context of contemporary American history, Georgetown's efforts to reckon with its past are part of a broader movement to address the legacies of slavery and other forms of injustice. It is a moment of reckoning, where we are called upon to confront the painful truths of our shared history and work towards a more just and equitable future.

As we reflect on Georgetown's history with slavery, we must also recognize the resilience and strength of the people who have been affected by this institution. Their stories, experiences, and struggles continue to inspire us to fight for justice and equality and to build a society that is truly inclusive and respectful of all its members.

In conclusion, Georgetown University's history with slavery is a complex and multifaceted narrative that spans centuries and reflects the broader history of American slavery. Through the lens of primary sources, scholarship, and community engagement, the university is committed to confronting this troubling past and working towards a more just and equitable future.

Weight: 664g
Dimension: 236 x 162 x 32 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781647120962