WASHINGTON, DC — Georgetown University students voted on Thursday to approve reparations for slavery — specifically, to create a fund to help descendants of slaves who were sold by the university in the 19th century.
The Washington Post reports that two-thirds of the undergraduate students supported the measure. It is non-binding, but could put pressure on university leadership to take action.
Slavery reparations have been a controversial issue nationwide, with supporters arguing that African-Americans today still suffer from the effects of slavery and opponents arguing they shouldn’t be responsible for paying for something that happened years ago. A growing number of universities are considering reparations as a way of making amends for the role of slavery in their pasts, according to the Post.
“As students at an elite institution, we recognize the great privileges we have been given, and wish to at least partially repay our debts to those families whose involuntary sacrifices made these privileges possible,” the referendum reads.
The referendum calls for a $27.20 fee to be instituted each semester — a reference to the number of slaves that were sold. The university brokered the sale of 272 slaves in 1838 to help pay its debts.
Georgetown didn’t apologize for the sale until 2016, and only after a series of protests put pressure on leadership. The university made some changes, renaming two buildings and granting priority admissions to descendants. But many argue that the school hasn’t gone far enough to atone for its deeds, and that reparations are the logical next step.
The referendum proposes the following:
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