Matthew Quallen (SFS ’16) previously served as a columnist for The Hoya and frequently wrote about Georgetown’s history with slavery. Look back on our archive of his research and opinions on the topic.
Georgetown, Financed by Slave Trading
Sept. 26, 2014
Quallen describes “the most shameful chapter in the Georgetown Jesuits’ long history”: the sale and forced move of the 272 slaves they owned. He argues for the renaming of Mulledy Hall to honor each of the 272 slaves sold rather than Fr. Thomas Mulledy, S.J., the provincial of the Maryland Society of Jesus and two-time Georgetown president, who was responsible for the sale.
Slavery’s Remnants, Buried and Overlooked
Sept. 11, 2015
After the initial renaming of Mulledy Hall to Freedom Hall, Quallen reflects on the pervasiveness of the history of enslavement on Georgetown’s campus, reintroducing readers to the places and landmarks whose history is entwined with slavery in ways they might not have known.
Healy’s Inner Turmoil, Our Current Conflict
Nov. 20, 2015
As a foil to Frs. Mulledy and McSherry, whose names were removed from campus buildings in fall 2015, Quallen details the life of  Fr. Patrick Healy, S.J., who is recognized for his position as the first black president of a predominantly white institution — Georgetown — beginning in 1873. Despite his position and publicly identifying as white, Quallen writes, Healy faced racism at Georgetown.
Beyond the 272 Sold in 1838, Plotting the National Diaspora of Jesuit-Sold Slaves
April 29, 2016
After Georgetown’s history with slavery made national headlines in April 2016, the debate over its restitution efforts led Quallen to consider the extent of the diaspora of the descendants of Georgetown’s slaves.
