Georgetown University to offer slave descendants preferential status for admission

In 1838, the Jesuit priests of Georgetown University sold 272 slaves in effort to save the university from financial hardship.

Back in those days, the university relied on plantations in Maryland to help finance its operations. In order to keep the institution afloat, they sold their slaves, which today would be equivalent to $3.3 million. If it were not for those slaves, Georgetown University would currently not be in existence.

Today, Georgetown is trying to atone for their unholy past. Their president, John DeGioia, plans to award preferential status to the descendants of the slaves during the admissions process and present a formal apology to their families.

A few of the descendants are not too impressed by this ‘publicity stunt,’ seeing as that they were not offered scholarships, included on the committee that develops recommendations or even invited to attend the speech to hear the formal apology.

We want to hear your thoughts on this!! Do you think Georgetown is doing the right thing? Could they be doing more? Should slave decedents get preferential treatment?

Read more here.