National exhibit exploring Jesuit history with slavery debuts at University of St. Thomas

A new immersive exhibit opening at the University of St. Thomas this week is asking visitors to confront a painful chapter in the history of the Catholic Church and U.S. slavery.

“What We Inherit: Truth, Repair, and a Promise to the Future” tells the story of more than 300 Black people who were enslaved by the Jesuits and sold in 1838 to help pay the debts of Georgetown College.

The exhibition, which runs through Nov. 7, centers the voices and experiences of their descendants, including Monique Trusclair Maddox, president and CEO of the Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation. She spoke to MPR News host Nina Moini about the exhibit’s debut at St. Thomas and what she hopes visitors get out of the experience.