Karski's Plaque at Georgetown University's Philodemic Room (Photo: Copyright Colin Winterbottom for Smith Group)
Georgetown University, where Jan Karski taught for 40 years, has paid special tribute to its distinguished professor by placing his photograph and nameplate in the historic Philodemic Room in Healy Hall on Georgetown’s main campus in Washington, D.C. The decision was made by the Philodemic Society—one of the oldest student debating societies in the U.S. and the oldest secular student organization at Georgetown—after careful consideration and discussion. Numerous distinguished people are featured in that space, and the most important criterion for consideration is an individual’s contributions to furthering the Philodemic Society’s motto of “eloquence in the defense of liberty.”
“We are honored to feature Jan Karski in this historic room on our university’s campus,” said Dr. Joseph A. Ferrara, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff at Georgetown University. “Our university community is deeply engaged in sharing Jan Karski’s legacy, including the commemorative statue we feature on our campus and the stage and film productions about Jan Karski’s life. We are proud to honor Jan Karski again in this important community space.”
The Philodemic Room is managed by the Office of the President and used by various offices for meetings and special events, including weekly debates of the Philodemic Society. The commemoration is in the form of a black and white photograph, approximately 12 x 10 inches, placed in an oval frame around the room’s perimeter (see attached photos). Karski’s photo comes from the Georgetown Library’s photograph collection and was formerly featured in a Georgetown publication in October 1966.
Special thanks to Dr. Ferrara and Carolyn Halley for contributing to the article.
