mount vernon (estate)

"[A] look at the complex relationships between George Washington and the enslaved people of Mount Vernon, and the history still being uncovered there . . . using . . . primary source material and photographs of historical artifacts [to shed] light on the lives of several people George Washington owned; the property laws of the day that complicated his decision to free them; and the Cemetery Survey, an archeological dig (set to conclude in 2018) that is shaping our understanding of Mount Vernon's Slave Cemetery"--Provided by publisher.

"[A] look at the complex relationships between George Washington and the enslaved people of Mount Vernon, and the history still being uncovered there . . . using . . . primary source material and photographs of historical artifacts [to shed] light on the lives of several people George Washington owned; the property laws of the day that complicated his decision to free them; and the Cemetery Survey, an archeological dig (set to conclude in 2018) that is shaping our understanding of Mount Vernon's Slave Cemetery"--Provided by publisher.

This thought-provoking volume uses the discoveries of archaeologists as well as the writings of Washington himself to shed light on the lives of the slaves who dwelled on this land.

Describes how George Washington built his farm at Mount Vernon, discussing his experiments with seeds, fertilizers, and tools and presenting related letters and diary entries.

Explores the role of African-Americans in creating and maintaining Mount Vernon, the home of U.S. president George Washington, in the century after his death, looking specifically at the work of Sarah Johnson, a slave who spent more than fifty years at the estate both before and after the Civil War, and who encouraged her friends and family members to continue the legacy.

Discusses George Washington's beliefs about slavery, the lives of George Washington's slaves, his relations with them, and how his beliefs about slavery changed over his lifetime.