Washington D.C., Apr 12, 2019 / 16:54 pm
Students at Georgetown University voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to pass a referendum that would create a new student fee each semester in order to create programming benefiting the descendants of the 272 slaves the Maryland Province of Jesuits sold in 1838.
"The results of the referendum are as follows: 66.08% for yes (2541 votes), 33.92% for no (1304 votes). This means that the referendum passes," tweeted the Georgetown University Students Association Election Commission on Thursday evening.
According to the GUSA Election Commission, 57.9% of Georgetown students voted in the election.
The money raised by the fee would "be allocated for charitable purposes directly benefiting the descendants of the GU272 and other persons once enslaved by the Maryland Jesuits," according to the text of the referendum.