Slavery, History, Memory, and Reconciliation Project - SHMR

07/01/2021

It will take all of us to continue the work Jonathan began. His legacy will thrive in the relationships he built and the work we continue to do. He would have it no other way.

The Slavery, History, Memory & Reconciliation Project team remember the life and legacy of Dr. Jonathan Smith, VP of Saint Louis University.

06/21/2021

We mourn the loss of our beloved colleague and friend, Jonathan Smith, who passed away on Juneteenth. Among his many commitments to making the world a better place, Jonathan was a founder and co-director of the Slavery, History, Memory, and Reconciliation Project.

Jonathan’s deep understanding of and belief in our mission were embodied in the thought-provoking reflections he shared with us. We always left meetings with him more inspired and more enlightened than we were at their start, ready to continue fighting for racial justice.

We will miss his fearless leadership, his profound insights, and his huge heart. His vision will continue to guide us.

04/08/2021

Alison McCann writes about encountering records on the lives of her ancestors who were once enslaved to the Jesuits.

"How will this information affect me? How do memory and silence affect family genealogy? How do I make sense of these fragmented pieces?"

April 7, 2021 — Last spring, I became involved with the Slavery, History, Memory, and Reconciliation Project (SHMR), a work of the Jesuit Conference and Saint Louis University. Researchers from SHMR had contacted me with information about my ancestors, who were enslaved by the Jesuits. Over emails...

02/25/2021

SHMR Researcher Ayan Ali spoke with The Jesuit Post about our work and Black History Month.

"The resiliency and courage of bondspeople as they confronted their Jesuit owners emerges with greater clarity when enslaved peoples’ actions are centered. Additionally, this emphasis on the perspectives of enslaved people enables us to begin to correct pervasive myths surrounding this history that obscure the extent of or violence intrinsic to Jesuit slaveholding."

Most existing histories of Jesuit slaveholding prioritize the actions and voices of Jesuit slaveholders, and not the people they held in bo***ge. Ayan Ali tells about her research with the Jesuits’…

02/08/2021

Ignatius Gough was 17 years old when his owner, Stephen H. Gough, a graduate of Georgetown University sold him to the Deep South. Four years later, he was sold to the Jesuits in Grand Coteau, LA to labor at the current site of the Jesuit novitiate. Ignatius Gough’s coerced labor aided in the establishment, expansion, and survival of St. Charles College, which had only just begun to hold classes in a single building the year of Ignatius’s purchase. You can read more of his story here:

Family Histories Ignatius Gough and His Family Ignatius Gough was seventeen years old when his owner, Stephen H. Gough, a graduate of Georgetown University who lived in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, sold him to the Deep South. Ignatius endured a treacherous, month-long journey in 1835 when he was s...

02/01/2021

We’re now seeking applicants for our paid summer internship! This experience includes opportunities for historical & genealogical research, translating documents, social media communications, and more. Learn more here and apply by March 15:

12/14/2020

Our partners at the Jesuit Social Research Institute are trying to stop one of the largest plastic plants in the world from being built in St. James Parish, LA. The Formosa Plastics Plant, which would emit dangerous pollution, is planned to be built over the graves of enslaved people. You can find more information about the Jesuit Social Research Institute's campaign to stop the plant's construction as well as the full report on the Formosa Plastics Sunshine Project and the devastating environmental and racially unjust impacts it would have here:

09/17/2020

You can now read our September newsletter on the importance of acknowledging that slavery is not ancient history, but very recent history.

SHMR Researcher Ayan Ali writes, “Those familiar with the history of American slavery know that we are not far removed from its horrors and that similar systems of anti-Black exploitation continue to replicate themselves...It is critical to recognize the recency of slavery as we work to dismantle its pervasive legacies. African Americans have been free in this country for less time than they were enslaved.”

It is critical to recognize the recency of slavery as we work to dismantle its pervasive legacies. ‌ ‌ ‌ Slavery is not ancient history. It is very recent history. By SHMR Researcher, Ayan Ali “But sl

09/09/2020

We're committed to be in conversation with descendants of people held in slavery by the Jesuits. Here is some info to know if this may include you. We invite you to contact us if you think you may be descended from people enslaved to Jesuits in Missouri.https://www.jesuits.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Connecting_with_Descendants_Missouri.pdf

08/24/2020

SHMR Co-Director, Danielle Harrison, Research Coordinator, Kelly Schmidt and volunteer, Billy Critchley-Menor, SJ were recently interviewed by Notre Dame's Grotto Network about the work of the Slavery, History, Memory and Reconciliation Project.

"Harrison explained that the project’s name was chosen intentionally to represent the work the Jesuits seek to do. “People of color have been enslaved since they were brought to the United States,” she said. “We have to get our minds around that history, to remember it, and work toward healing and reconciliation.”' You can read the full article here:

This project uncovers the past so as to work toward reconciliation.

08/19/2020

We’re thrilled to share our new website, where you can learn more about the lives of people held in slavery to the Jesuits, our efforts to connect with their descendants, see new regional and family histories, and join us in working together toward transformative change. Visit https://jesuits.org/shmr/

08/13/2020

"This is an opportunity for us to work together, healing, struggling, & being transformed," says co-director Danielle Harrison about the SHMR project. Hear more from her & research coordinator Kelly Schmidt about the history of SHMR, the challenges of researching Jesuit slaveholding, and our efforts to connect with descendants of people enslaved to the Society of Jesus in this week's St. Francis Xavier College Church Parish & Community video.

Episode 15 of Parish and Community, an interview show from College Church hosted by Director of Development and Parish Life, Angela Pancella. Every Wednesday...