The Witness of the Central American Martyrs: A Social Justice Aesthetic at U.S. Jesuit Colleges and Universities

Abstract:In 1989 the Salvadoran military murdered six Jesuit priests and two of their companions at the Universidad Centroamericana (UCA), the Jesuit university in San Salvador. The killings ignited international protests, and the victims, well-known for their advocacy of human rights and social justice, quickly became celebrated martyrs. The Jesuits of the United States, who maintained a strong relationship with their Central American counterparts, were especially active in mobilizing their network in remembrance of the UCA martyrs. In the decades since their deaths, these figures have become important symbols representing a social justice vision for Jesuit higher education in the U.S. The network's members often made use of aesthetic commemorations to invite others into the martyrs' ongoing legacy, thereby staking a position in the ongoing contest concerning the soul of U.S. Catholic higher education.