The June 19 holiday, first observed by freed people in Texas in 1866, coincides with the day in 1838 when Georgetown University sold 272 slaves to Louisiana plantations to protect the its finances. Student activists say that the university’s commemoration of the holiday rings hollow, seeing as the administration has failed to honor the 2019 referendum in which over two-thirds of undergraduates voted to establish a semesterly reconciliation fee to benefit descendants of the GU272.
On June 26, the House approved a bill proposed by nonvoting Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) to make Washington, D.C. the 51st state. It now moves to the Senate, where it is expected to be struck down because of a lack of Republican support.
Councilmember Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) proposed emergency legislation after protests broke out in D.C. and around the country in response to the murder of George Floyd. Although it was passed unanimously, the bill saw some criticism, with activists saying still more needs to be done and Mayor Bowser and the MPD union calling the legislation rushed.
Georgetown To Allow Freshman, Certain Upperclassmen on Campus in the Fall
First-year students and select upperclassmen will be allowed to live on campus during the fall semester, Georgetown University administrators announced in an email Monday detailing…
Students Call for an End to Legacy Admissions at Georgetown
More than 200 students, faculty and graduates have signed an open letter to Georgetown University administrators calling on the school to abandon legacy admissions in…
GUSA Pushes for Work-Study Reform, Evaluates Senate Diversity
The Georgetown University Student Association Senate passed a resolution urging Georgetown University to increase the number of employment opportunities available to students with Federal Work-Study…
Class Ambassador Resigns Facing Student, Graduate Pushback; Administration Pressures GUSA to Revise Related Legislation
Georgetown University graduate Kuran Malhotra (MSB ’20) stepped down from his position as a graduate representative after facing mounting pressure from students, graduates and former…
Students Demand Reduced Tuition, Extended Deferral Deadline in Petition
More than 800 Georgetown University affiliates have signed a petition demanding the university reduce tuition and extend the deferral deadline for the fall semester. The…
African American Studies Department Urges GU To Pursue Anti-Racist Agenda
The department of African American studies at Georgetown University issued a statement calling on the university to take concrete steps to dismantle systemic racism and…
Georgetown Offers Expedited Core Classes Through New August Session
Georgetown University launched an academic program allowing first-year students to complete a core curriculum class before the official start of the school year in late…
Keyonna Jones Reflects on the Role of Art in DC BLM Protests
As protests and calls for racial justice consumed Washington, D.C., local artist and educator Keyonna Jones received a call from a friend about a secret…
House of Representatives Passes DC Statehood Bill In Historic Vote
The U.S. House of Representatives voted to grant statehood to Washington, D.C., marking the first time that either chamber of Congress has voted to make…
Georgetown Students Renew Push for Reconciliation Fee as University Commemorates Juneteenth
Georgetown University student activists have renewed their effort to implement a reconciliation fee for descendants of the GU272 as the university commemorated its first official…
DC Council Unanimously Approves Bill Banning Police Chokeholds and the Purchase of Federal Military Equipment
The Council of the District of Columbia unanimously passed emergency police reform legislation amid nationwide protests for racial justice sparked after a Minneapolis law enforcement…
Students Petition To Make Georgetown Campuses a Sanctuary for Protesters
Hundreds of Georgetown University students signed a petition calling on the university to use its campus spaces as a sanctuary for protesters amid ongoing nationwide…
GU Professor Wins Prestigious History Prize for Biography of Revolutionary Anthropologists
Government department chair Charles King received the 2020 Francis Parkman Prize for his book about a small group of cultural anthropologists working at the beginning…
SFS Faculty Push for Schoolwide Commitment to Racial Justice
Faculty in the School of Foreign Service drafted a petition calling on administrators to combat systemic racial inequalities at Georgetown University and outside the campus…
Klobuchar, Former AG Holder Call for Policing Reform in GU Politics Forum
Public officials have the responsibility to respond to popular unrest at every level of government with broad and tangible criminal justice and policing reform, former…
After Clinching Democratic Nomination for Ward 2 Councilmember, Hoya Graduate Aims To Make History
Brooke Pinto (LAW ’17) beat out a crowded field for the Democratic nomination to represent Ward 2 on the Council of the District of Columbia,…
Students Report Difficulties Accessing Academic Accommodations, Lack of University Support in Virtual Learning Space
A large number of Georgetown University students requiring special academic assistance have reported difficulties accessing these accommodations after the university transitioned to online learning in…
GUSA Passes Proposal To Reduce University Contracts With DC Police
The Georgetown University Student Association Senate passed a resolution calling for Georgetown University to reduce its contracts with the Metropolitan Police Department. The June 7…
How to Support Washington, DC Black-Owned Businesses
Our list is still incomplete. Know a business we missed? Let us know at [email protected] Amid protests focusing the nation’s attention on systemic racism, Black-owned…
Georgetown Report Highlights Racial Disparities in Health in DC
A report published by the Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies found that Black residents in Washington, D.C., on average live considerably shorter,…
Antisemitic Drawings Discovered in Burleith Weeks Prior to Hardy Middle School Defacement
This article directly references content that is potentially upsetting. Please refer to the end of the article for on- and off-campus resources. Antisemitic flyers and…
Georgetown Community Calls for University To End Relations With Police Departments in Petition
A petition demanding that Georgetown University cease all relationships with “any police department” has garnered nearly 6,000 signatures as of June 8 amid nationwide demonstrations…
Letter From the Editors
From the editors, The murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and George Floyd are among the latest reminders of the United States’ long…
GUSA Voices Solidarity With Black Lives Matter Protests
The Georgetown University Student Association Senate unanimously passed a resolution voicing solidarity with Black Lives Matter protests during an emergency meeting Monday evening. The resolution…
Diverse Representation Essential for American Democracy, Nevada Senator Says
Public officials have a responsibility to account for all perspectives and identities by giving them a place at the table in government, Sen. Catherine Cortez…
Georgetown Students Advocate for Exoneration of Prisoners in Documentaries
Georgetown University students in professor Marc Howard’s “Prison Reform Project” class have released documentaries detailing the cases of incarcerated men who the students argue were…
DC Black Student Unions Call for City Action Against Racism in Letter to Mayor and Police Chief
Content Warning: This article directly references content related to police brutality. Please refer to the end of the article for on- and off-campus resources. Four…
International Students Continue Push for Accommodations, GUSA Rallies To Support
The Georgetown University Student Association Senate voiced support for a growing petition that pushes for increased academic and logistical accommodations for international students during the…
Rising GU Freshman Questions University Presidents on New ‘Meet the Press’ Segment
Incoming Georgetown University freshman Gabe Fleisher (COL ’24) joined a panel of student journalists on a “Meet the Press” roundtable May 28 to scrutinize universities’…
MPD Investigating Antisemitic Graffiti Found on Hardy Middle School Property
This article directly references content that is potentially upsetting. Please refer to the end of the article for on- and off-campus resources. An unknown perpetrator…
2 More Georgetown Parents Plead Guilty in College Admissions Scandal
Two more Georgetown University parents have joined a growing list of wealthy people who have pleaded guilty to illegally facilitating their children’s acceptance to the…
Amid Economic Downturn, Student NGO Connects Struggling Farmers and Food Banks
Unlike many of his peers in the McDonough School of Business, Cooper Adams (MSB ’21) spent the first weeks of May cold-calling farmers across the…
MSB Freshman Raises $30,000 for Medical Workers With Sign-Making Business
The final weeks of the spring semester proved especially busy for Liam Marshall (MSB ’23), who had to push through finals week while running a…
Students, Faculty Reckon With Online Learning as Summer Semester Begins
Students and professors are continuing to navigate the challenges and setbacks of virtual learning as Georgetown University’s summer academic semester gets underway online. Summer classes,…
SAO Pushes For 3-Day Preparation Period Before Student Disciplinary Hearings
The Georgetown University Student Advocacy Office is negotiating with Georgetown University officials to introduce a clear timeline outlining the student disciplinary process. Members of the…
Class of 2020 Celebrates Community, Accomplishments in a Virtual Degree-Awarding Ceremony
Thousands of students, families, friends and faculty tuned into a 30-minute Facebook livestream Saturday afternoon to celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2020. This…
Georgetown Students, Graduates Help Raise Thousands for Wisemiller’s Deli
Georgetown University students and other local patrons helped raise over $26,000 to support Wisemiller’s Grocery and Deli, a beloved local eatery struggling to stay afloat…