The Reimagination of the Philodemic Room
The Philodemic Room in Healy Hall is a historic space on Georgetown’s main campus, and home to weekly debates of the Philodemic Society, one of the oldest student debating societies in the United States and the oldest secular student organization at Georgetown. In partnership with the Philodemic Society, Georgetown is engaging in a process to re-imagine this space, following research and the presentation of a report by the Philodemic Society’s Committee for Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation. Processes to engage our community in careful consideration of the built environment and memorialization, including spaces like the Philodemic Room, are part of the university’s ongoing commitments in slavery, memory, and reconciliation.
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The Philodemic Society Committee for Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation
The Philodemic Society is an undergraduate debating organization established at Georgetown University in 1830. In 2018, members of the Philodemic Society formed the Committee for Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation to research and document the historical connections of the Society to racism and discrimination and how those connections manifest in the Philodemic Room, the longstanding home for the Society’s debates.
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The Philodemic Room
The Philodemic Room is one of many historic spaces within Healy Hall, and is adjacent to the Office of the President. Original blueprints of Healy Hall indicate the space was originally planned as a debating room and it has continued to serve this function through use by the Philodemic Society.
Timeline of the Room’s Decor
The Philodemic Room was built during the construction of Healy Hall, 1877-1879, but the decorative finishes were not fully added until 1900. Historical photos indicate changes to the room’s decor over time.
The Reimagination of the Philodemic Room
The Philodemic Society and Georgetown worked collaboratively to identify an architectural partner, SmithGroup, to provide design services and to facilitate a process to engage members of our community to reimagine the Philodemic Room.