ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - A group is working on efforts to get Saint Louis University to recognize the slaves who help build the school.
Descendants of the St. Louis University Enslaved is a group that is working to get the school to recognize the slaves in the 1800s who were owned by Jesuits and used to expand the ministry in the Midwest, which included parts of the Saint Louis University campus.
Robin Proudie, Founder and Executive Director Descendants of the St. Louis University Enslaved joined Megan Lynch and Tom Ackerman on Total Information A.M. in studio Tuesday to discuss the petition and discusses the impact slaves had on helping build the Jesuit community at SLU.
For Proudie, her interest in this effort began in 2019 after she and members of her family received a letter from the Slavery History Memory and Reconciliation Project, which is a direct partnership between both SLU and the Jesuit of Midwest Province, telling them that they had ancestors who were not only enslaved, but helped build parts of the SLU campus and several other places in the St. Louis-area like St. Stanislaus in Florissant, Missouri and St. Francis Xavier College Church.
"The researchers we have been collaborating with since we were contacted told us about how (our ancestors) were treated," said Proudie.
Proudie says she, her family and other descendants have had talks with faculty members at the school over the years about recognizing the slaves who helped build the school, including with SLU President Fred Pastello.
"We met with (Pastello) in 2021, and that was a cordial introductory meeting," said Proudie, "Several of the descendants, including myself, met with him."
Proudie says since that meeting, there has been little to no movement yet to get the school to recognize the slaves, but they had still have had a few meetings regarding it.
Proudie says the group has been patient with the school, despite the lack of progress made in getting the recognition.
"When we started Descendants of the St. Louis University Enslaved, we first wanted to honor our ancestors, acknowledge their contributions, their perseverance," said Proudie, "At the same time, there were two communities who were central to the founding and sustainability of Saint Louis University: the Jesuits and our ancestors."
Proudie believes that the school should recognize a community that has also helped create the foundations of the school.
"One part of the community is being honored with statues, names on buildings, but the other community, my ancestors, we're not being acknowledge, and we want to know why not?" said Proudie, "It's time for these stories to come to light, especially in today's climate."
The efforts by the group drew the attention of some students, including one who started a petition to help the group get the recognition they want of their ancestors from the school.
For those who are interested in signing the petition, you can head over to the Descendants of the St. Louis University Enslaved's website to sign it.
