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Emory 'regrets' slavery ties, holds conference on topic

The founders of Emory University owned slaves. They used slave labor to build the campus. Their pro-slavery views helped drive the North-South schism in the Methodist Episcopal Church leading up to the Civil War.

The university’s slave legacy doesn’t end with the antebellum era. In 1902, the college forced a professor to resign for an article he wrote condemning lynching.

Fast forward to 2003 when a professor’s use of a racial slur led to campus-wide debates.

That incident spurred self-reflection.

Emory leaders created a program to research the university’s past and talk about race. The program's work will be discussed during a four-day conference – beginning Thursday evening on campus – where about 30 public and private colleges will examine the role of slavery at institutions of higher learning in America. And, as the private college marks its 175th anniversary, the Board of Trustees released a statement of regret over Emory's involvement with slavery....
Read entire article at Atlanta Journal-Constitution