ST. LOUIS — The descendants of Henrietta Mills, one of the many enslaved individuals who played a pivotal role in constructing the grounds of St. Louis University, gathered alongside their family members for a historic moment on Thursday.
As the echoes of African drums reverberated through the air, Robin Proudie stood proudly, a symbol of a lineage demanding acknowledgment and justice.
"In 2021, led by a desire to commemorate and honor our Jesuit and Saint Louis University enslaved Ancestors, she and other descendants came together with a group of allies to form the Descendants of the St. Louis University Enslaved, Inc., or DSLUE," the group states on its website.
"We want you to be honored. We want to be acknowledged. We're not asking for a handout. We're asking for that debt to be paid," Proudie asserted on Thursday, speaking not just for her own family but for all those whose ancestors were enslaved in the building of this nation.
Mills' family has embarked on a mission to ensure that the contributions of their ancestors are recognized and compensated.
With the assistance of policy experts and legal counsel, they meticulously calculated the value of the labor performed by enslaved individuals like Henrietta Mills between 1823 and 1865.
The Jesuit, Catholic university occupies 282 acres.
"That value is somewhere between 361 million dollars to 74 billion," said Areva Martin, a civil rights attorney representing the family.
Despite initial efforts by Saint Louis University to confront its ties to slavery in 2019, Proudie and her family expressed frustration at being sidelined from subsequent discussions and decision-making processes.
"Fast forward to 2021, the descendants' voices are not a part of that committee. They've not been included in that committee process," Martin added.
The attorney went on to compare the slow movement of other institutions.
"When you look at Georgetown, Loyola, all the Jesuit universities around the country that have done this work, none of them have taken the next step."
"By erasing the truth, we repeat the atrocities of the past," said Missouri State Senator Karla May, urging St. Louis University to confront its history and make amends without further delay.
"Justice delayed is justice denied, and St. Louis University can no longer delay justice," added economist Julianne Malveaux.
A spokesperson for the school provided the following response:
"We cannot yet offer a detailed response to the specific information shared at today’s event on SLU’s campus.
"At this point, we can affirm that we understand and share the sense of urgency expressed by several members of the descendant community. SLU’s participation in the institution of slavery was a grave sin. We acknowledge that progress on our efforts to reconcile with this shameful history has been slow, and we regret the hurt and frustration this has caused.
"Continuing this work is a priority for SLU and the Society of Jesus. As we move forward, we hope to re-establish and build deeper relationships with all descendant families, to explore together how best to honor the memory of those who were enslaved by the Jesuits."