In 2017, Georgetown University held aday of remembranceduring which the president of the Jesuit order apologized to more than 100 descendants attending a contrition liturgy. It is necessary to keep in mind that these people were free in their native country and enslaved once they got to America. She feels great sadness as she envisions Cornelius as a young boy, torn from everything he knew. So Judy Riffel, one of the genealogists hired by Mr. Cellini, began following a chain of weddings and births, baptisms and burials. A Reflection for Saturday of the First Week of Lent, by Christopher Parker. Thomas Lilly reported. 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. Now students, professors and alumni want to know what happened to those men and women and what the university will do moving forward. But few were lucky enough to escape. [70], In 2019, undergraduate students at Georgetown voted in a non-binding referendum to impose a symbolic reparations fee of $27.20 per student. The Jesuits decided that the elderly would not be sold south and instead would be permitted to remain in Maryland. Twenty-seven years earlier, a document dated June 19, 1838, showed that Maryland Jesuit priests sold 272 slaves to the owners of Louisiana plantations. [47], While the 1838 slave sale gave rise to scandal at the time, the event eventually faded out of the public awareness. Now comes the task of making amends. Banks would finance land purchases using slaves as collateral. [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. 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. They also knew that life on plantations in the Deep South was notoriously brutal, and feared that families might end up being separated and resold. Of the sum, $8,000 was used to satisfy a financial obligation that,[23] following a long-running and contentious dispute, Pope Pius VII had previously determined the Maryland Jesuits owed to Archbishop Ambrose Marchal of Baltimore and his successors. He might have disappeared from view again for a time, save for something few could have counted on: his deep, abiding faith. Thomas F. Mulledy and the Rev. Why am I being asked to create an account? 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. The New York Times would like to hear from people who have done research into their genealogical history. But when Ms. Riffel, the genealogist, told her where she thought he was buried, Ms. Crump knew exactly where to go. To this day the search continues. The sale of these 272 slaves, known as the GU272, saved the university from foreclosure. Many institutions owned slaves and Georgetown University was no exception. Georgetown University was an active participant in the slave trade selling upwards of 272 slaves from their Maryland run plantation to the deep south in an effort to support the then struggling university in 1838 according to The New York Times. The condition of slaves on the plantations varied over time, as did the condition of the Jesuits living with them. 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. What Does It Owe Their Descendants? Ta-Nehisi Coates, National Correspondent, The Atlantic Recorded Thursday, September 29, 2016, at the Washington Ideas Forum. Census of slaves to be sold in 1838 - Georgetown University [27] The agreement provided that 51 slaves would be sent to the port of Alexandria, Virginia in order to be shipped to Louisiana. Her great-uncle had the name, as did one of her cousins. In the case of Amazon, please use our links whenever you shop. Join Amazon Prime Watch Thousands of Movies & TV Shows Anytime . ", New England Historic Genealogical Society, "They thought Georgetown University's missing slaves were 'lost.' Slaves were often threatened with having family members sold away, splitting parents from even infants because of minor infractions as determined by the slave owner. Now shes working for justice. This coincided with a protest by a group of students against keeping Mulledy's and McSherry's names on the buildings the day before. (Courtesy of Ellender Library) In 1838, two priests who served as president of Georgetown University orchestrated the sale of 272 people to pay off debts at the school. [5], On June 19, 1838, Mulledy, Johnson, and Batey signed articles of agreement formalizing the sale. The records describe runaways, harsh plantation conditions and the anguish voiced by some Jesuits over their participation in a system of forced servitude. The enslaved African-Americans had belonged to the nations most prominent Jesuit priests. Youll never know where you came from, said Mlisande Short-Colomb, a descendant of the group of slaves, in a statement about the project. [70], The Corporation of Roman Catholic Clergymen was created in 1792 to preserve the property of the. [35] He ordered McSherry to inform Mulledy that he had been removed as provincial superior, and that if Mulledy refused to step down, he would be dismissed from the Society of Jesus. From Equity Talk to Equity Walk: A Guide for Campus-Based Leadership and Practice is a vital wealth of information for college and university presidents and provosts, academic and student affairs professionals, faculty, and practitioners who seek to dismantle institutional barriers that stand in the way of achieving equity, specifically racial equity to achieve equitable outcomes in higher education. Meanwhile, Georgetowns working group has been weighing whether the university should apologize for profiting from slave labor, create a memorial to those enslaved and provide scholarships for their descendants, among other possibilities, said Dr. Rothman, the historian. 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. Father Mulledy promised his superiors that the slaves would continue to practice their religion. The name had been passed down from generation to generation in her family. Today, the universitys leaders, students and alumni are grappling with how to confront that history. Central concepts and key points are illustrated through campus examples. Enslaved, marginalized and forced into illiteracy by laws that prohibited them from learning to read and write, many seem like ghosts who pass through this world without leaving a trace. 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? Johnson and Batey agreed to pay $115,000,[5] equivalent to $2.96million in 2021,[25] over the course of ten years plus six percent annual interest. It has been stated that value of slaves in America was more valuable than all the industrial and transportation capital of the United States in the first half of the 19th century. [3], Much of this land was put to use as plantations, the revenue from which financed the Jesuits' ministries. Ms. Crump, a retired television news anchor, was driving to Maringouin, her hometown, in early February when her cellphone rang. 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. If youre already a subscriber or donor, thank you! 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. Slavery was much more than the theft of labor; it was the deprivation of liberty for which this country professes so loudly. For Black History Month 2021, we focused on Black Medical Achievements, Inventors and Scientists.To see those posts, click here. Much more than a way to chat. Georgetown University, GU272 Slaves - WikiTree Jan Roothaan, who headed the Jesuits international organization from Rome and was initially reluctant to authorize the sale. 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. [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. WIKITREE PROTECTS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT STATED IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY. Georgetown University Archives The Jesuits had sold off individual slaves before. Despite coverage of the Maryland Jesuits' slave ownership and the 1838 sale in academic literature, news of these facts came as a surprise to the public in 2015, prompting a study of Georgetown University's and Jesuits' historical relationship with slavery. [7] As early as 1814, the trustees of the Corporation of Roman Catholic Clergymen discussed manumitting all their slaves and abolishing slavery on the Jesuit plantations,[10] though in 1820, they decided against universal manumission. There was no need for a map. 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. And the 1838 sale worth about $3.3 million in todays dollars was organized by two of Georgetowns early presidents, both Jesuit priests. Descendants are learning new links to their pasts as a result of the project. [45] Patrick and Woolfolk's slaves were then sold in July 1859 to Emily Sparks, the widow of Austin Woolfolk. [28] Most of the slaves who fled returned to their plantations, and Mulledy made a third visit later that month, where he gathered some of the remaining slaves for transport. This was only a portion of the slaves bought and sold by the Maryland Jesuits over time.[1]. Father Mulledy took most of the down payment he received from the sale about $500,000 in todays dollars and used it to help pay off the debts that Georgetown had incurred under his leadership. [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. Other industries made loads of money indirectly. We ask readers to log in so that we can recognize you as a registered user and give you unrestricted access to our website. Leave a message for others who see this profile. List of slaves - Wikipedia 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. Alfred "Teen" Blackburn (1842-1951), one of the last living survivors of slavery in the United States who had a clear recollection of it. [29], Not all of the 272 slaves intended to be sold to Louisiana met that fate. Melvin Robert and Joya Mia Italiano look into Georgetown Universitys response on the Lip News. In the list are links to affiliate partners. Corneliuss extended family was split, with his aunt Nelly and her daughters shipped to one plantation, and his uncle James and his wife and children sent to another, records show. Most of the 314 enslaved people were sent to Louisiana, but about a third remained in Maryland or were sold to other locations, according to an article on the website. To see information on Juneteenth, click here. In all, the Jesuits sold 314 men, women and children over a 5-year period stretching from 1838 to 1843. It was his Catholicism, born on the Jesuit plantations of his childhood, that would provide researchers with a road map to his descendants. [8] In reality, by the early 19th century, the Jesuit plantations were in such a state of mismanagement that the Jesuit Superior General in Rome, Tadeusz Brzozowski, sent Irish Jesuit Peter Kenney to review the operations of the Maryland Mission as a canonical visitor in 1820. [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. Shoes and clothing were made in the North and shipped to be used by the enslaved people. [46] Due to financial difficulties, Johnson sold half his property, including some of the slaves he had purchased in 1838, to Philip Barton Key in 1844. Revealed: The Slave Sold to Save Georgetown Ashby's account book at Newtown.For a spreadsheet with all the data transcribed, seeGSA5. [4][a] Several of the Jesuits' slaves unsuccessfully attempted to sue for their freedom in the courts in the 1790s. [2] As the sole ministers of Catholicism in Maryland at the time, the Jesuit estates became the centers of Catholicism. But the 1838 slave sale organized by the Jesuits, who founded and ran Georgetown, stands out for its sheer size, historians say. Her ancestors, once amorphous and invisible, are finally taking shape in her mind. What has emerged from their research, and that of other scholars, is a glimpse of an insular world dominated by priests who required their slaves to attend Mass for the sake of their salvation, but also whipped and sold some of them. Hundreds of Blacks were slaughtered and 10,000 left homeless in this largely unknown event. To comment or make suggestions on future posts, use Contact Us. Check out some of the. These are real people with real names and real descendants.. Cardinal McElroy responds to his critics on sexual sin, the Eucharist, and LGBT and divorced/remarried Catholics, Worried you retired too early? [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. The university created the liturgy in partnership with members of the descendant community, the Archdiocese of Washington and the Society of Jesus in the United States. Please contact us at members@americamedia.org with any questions. Kenney found the slaves facing arbitrary discipline, a meager diet, pastoral neglect, and engaging in vice. There are no surviving images of Cornelius, no letters or journals that offer a look into his last hours on a Jesuit plantation in Maryland. Georgetown is not the only institution that has prospered on the backs of enslaved people. The researchers have used archival records to follow their footsteps, from the Jesuit plantations in Maryland, to the docks of New Orleans, to three plantations west and south of Baton Rouge, La. Some of that money helped to pay off the debts of the struggling college. List of people sold by Fr. Thomas Mulledy in 1838 Georgetown Slavery One building was renamed for Isaac Hawkins, first on the list of the 272 human beings sold in 1838. This was a great cause of the wealth of the slaveowners who took advantage of land stolen from the original owners, the Native Americans who had lived here for centuries. In fact, Harvard, Columbia, Brown, University of Virginia did as well. The remainder of the slaves were accounted for in three subsequent bills of sale executed in November 1838, which specified that 64 would go to Batey's plantation named West Oak in Iberville Parish and 140 slaves would be sent to Johnson's two plantations, Ascension Plantation (later known as Chatham Plantation) in Ascension Parish and another in Maringouin (Iberville Parish). We pray with you today because we have greatly sinned and because we are profoundly sorry. This message was delivered to more than 100 descendants of the original enslaved people who had been sol to finance the institution. [29] Some of the initial 272 slaves who were not delivered to Johnson were replaced with substitutes. A white man, he admitted that he had never spent much time thinking about slavery or African-American history. There is joy in that, she said, exhilaration even. Descendants of slaves sold by Georgetown want more than symbolic You can either click on the link in your confirmation email or simply re-enter your email address below to confirm it. It also notes slaves who had run away, and those who had been "married off." 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. The grave of Cornelius Hawkins, one of 272 slaves sold by the Jesuits in 1838 to help keep what is now Georgetown University afloat. A Reader on Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation A microcosm of the history of American slavery in a collection of the most important primary and secondary readings on slavery at Georgetown University and among the Maryland Jesuits Georgetown Universitys early history, closely tied to that of the Society of Jesus in Maryland, is a microcosm of the history of American slavery: the entrenchment of chattel slavery in the tobacco economy of the Chesapeake in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries; the contradictions of liberty and slavery at the founding of the United States; the rise of the domestic slave trade to the cotton and sugar kingdoms of the Deep South in the nineteenth century; the political conflict over slavery and its overthrow amid civil war; and slaverys persistent legacies of racism and inequality. [37] Roothaan was particularly concerned because it had become clear that, contrary to his order, families had been separated by the slaves' new owners. ). To see the posts, click here. The U.S. Department of State defines modern slavery as "the act of recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining a person for compelled .
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