Panel Dialogue: “Owning Slavery, Pursuing Justice, Seeking Reconciliation: Lessons from Georgetown and the U.S. Jesuits”

This is a panel dialogue that took place online on April 29, 2021. The background is that in 1838, the Jesuits sold 272 enslaved people, including men, women and children. This was the largest single sale of enslaved people in human history. Some of the proceeds were used to support the development of Georgetown University. … Continue reading Panel Dialogue: “Owning Slavery, Pursuing Justice, Seeking Reconciliation: Lessons from Georgetown and the U.S. Jesuits”

Dr Joy DeGruy on How to Address the Legacy of trans-Atlantic slavery

In this A Narrative of Love conversation, the UNESCO Slave Route Project Advisor, Dr Joy DeGruy, explores what it feels for black African Americans to negotiate the multiple challenges of living in a racist society, including internalised racism, the learned helplessness, and structural dehumanisation. Dr DeGruy also highlights key elements that can move the society towards healing, at both … Continue reading Dr Joy DeGruy on How to Address the Legacy of trans-Atlantic slavery

Large-Group Psychology: Racism, Societal Divisions, Narcissistic Leaders, and Who We Are Now

A new and updated exploration of large-group psychology from world-renowned psychoanalyst Dr Vamik D. Volkan. This timely book investigates the underlying psychology of the societal divisions occurring in the world and includes the author’s personal observations and experiences of racism as a ‘voluntary immigrant’ to the US over six decades ago. Large-Group Psychology: Racism, Societal … Continue reading Large-Group Psychology: Racism, Societal Divisions, Narcissistic Leaders, and Who We Are Now

Remembering the unremembered: A Key to Healing

In her review of Toni Morrison's book "Beloved", Dr Scherto Gill suggests that one of the book's features be that it allows us to remember the unremembered, and reminds us of the need to face the oppressed collective memories of slavery.  Without embracing these memories, the unremembered continues to hold our societies, and we live … Continue reading Remembering the unremembered: A Key to Healing

UNESCO Healing the Wounds of Slavery Symposium: Questions discussed

On October 18th and 19th, twenty-eight renowned caring and inspirational experts from multi-disciplinary backgrounds met at Georgetown University's Berkley Center for days of deep sharing, exchange and dialogue around the topic of "Healing the Wounds of Slavery". The symposium included four observers. At the Opening Session, Prof Thomas Banchoff, Georgetown's Vice President for Global Engagement, … Continue reading UNESCO Healing the Wounds of Slavery Symposium: Questions discussed

Traces of the Trade

In this Emmy-nominated documentary, filmmaker Katrina Browne discovers that her Rhode Island forefathers were the largest slave-trading family in U.S. history. She and nine relatives decide to retrace the Triangle Trade: from a port town in Rhode Island, to slave forts in Ghana, to the ruins of one of their family’s sugar plantations in Cuba.