Johns Hopkins University discovered its namesake, a 19th century merchant and railroad magnate, enslaved at least four adult males at his Baltimore estate as late as 1850, placing his biography in direct opposition with his carefully cultivated image as Quaker abolitionist.

Fortunately, Johns Hopkins is confronting this revelation head on, devoting university resources and research to delve deeper into the life of their namesake and the history of the university bearing his name.