Slavery

In 1838, two Irish-American Jesuits sold 272 slaves from the Jesuit plantation in Maryland to slaveowners in Louisiana. Georgetown was having difficulty paying off debts, and the sale ensured its survival. Today, a report on what the university can and will (and, between the lines, won't) do was released. It makes for uncomfortable reading, and is a stark reminder of the extent to which this country was built on the institution of slavery.