--- title: Georgetown President Speaks About Slave History: Watch Live description: Georgetown University will give an admissions advantage to the descendants of 272 slaves sold by the school in 1838 canonical: https://time.com/4476121/georgetown-university-slaves-descendants/ author: Katie Reilly article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-09-01T17:01:45.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T00:21:19.736Z article:section: U.S. og:title: Watch Live: Georgetown President Addresses Initiative for Slave Descendants og:description: The school will give an admissions advantage to the descendants of 272 slaves og:url: https://time.com/4476121/georgetown-university-slaves-descendants/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfbe3224ecad7f279/6988a48ef887dcf95de97465/john-degioia-georgetown-slavery.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Warren Buffett And BofA CEO Brian Moynihan Speak At Georgetown University og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Watch Live: Georgetown President Addresses Initiative for Slave Descendants twitter:description: The school will give an admissions advantage to the descendants of 272 slaves twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfbe3224ecad7f279/6988a48ef887dcf95de97465/john-degioia-georgetown-slavery.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Watch Live: Georgetown President Addresses New Initiative for Slave Descendants  by [Katie Reilly](/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Sep 1, 2016 5:01 PM CUT  John J. DeGioia, president of Georgetown University, delivers remarks at the university on Sept. 19, 2013 in Washington, D.C. John J. DeGioia, president of Georgetown University, delivers remarks at the university on Sept. 19, 2013 in Washington, D.C.Drew Angerer/Getty Images  by [Katie Reilly](/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Sep 1, 2016 5:01 PM CUT Georgetown University will give an admissions advantage to the descendants of 272 slaves sold by the school in 1838—part of an effort to acknowledge and [address the school’s ties to slavery](http://time.com/4380149/georgetown-slave-sale-1838/ "undefined"). The university announced the step on Thursday, along with plans to rename two campus buildings in honor of African-Americans, dedicate a memorial to slaves and establish the Institute for the Study of Slavery and its Legacies. The changes follow campus protests last year, in which students called on the university to address modern issues of racism as well as historical ties to slavery. The issue has been the subject of protests at [colleges across the country](http://time.com/4347099/college-campus-protests/ "undefined"), but Georgetown’s response rings different because of its plans to provide descendants with preferential admissions status. The school’s plan does not include a scholarship offering for the descendants. Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia will address the new plans on Wednesday afternoon and offer a formal apology for the university’s role in profiting from slavery. 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