Descendants of slaves want Georgetown to fund $1B foundation

WASHINGTON – Some descendants of slaves owned by the Maryland Jesuits and sold to benefit Georgetown University are calling on the college to create a $1 billion foundation to deal with truth and reconciliation.

Last week, Georgetown announced it will give preference in admissions to the descendants of slaves owned by the Maryland Jesuits in an effort to atone for profiting from the sale.

In 1838, two priests who served as president of the university orchestrated the sale of 272 men, women and children for $115,000, about $3 million in today’s dollars.

Leaders of a group of the 600 descendants of slaves called on the university to do more for the public good. The Washington Post reports (http://wapo.st/2cJmkxZ) that the group has raised $115,000 in seed money for the foundation.

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Information from: The Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com

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