Descendants of slaves who built St. Louis University are demanding $74 billion in reparations for their ancestors' unpaid labor, a sum vastly exceeding the university's $1.5 billion endowment, according to the Daily Mail.
"The calculations that we came up with and the method that we used," economist Julianne Malveaux says, "are time-honored methods. The university, quite frankly, is overdue, negligent, and wrong."
Malveaux's calculations she says stem from the labor of 70 slaves who worked from 1823 to 1865 to help build the university. Advocates, including civil rights attorney Areva Martin, have formally approached the university, urging acknowledgment and compensation.
A statement from SLU reads that the university'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."