The Slave Memorial at Mount Vernon marks the site where both free and enslaved people were buried in the 18th and 19th centuries, without permanent identifying markers.
The Slave Memorial at Mount Vernon was designed by students attending the architectural school at Howard University. It was dedicated and opened to the public on September 21, 1983.
A gray, truncated, granite column which represents “life unfinished” is the center of three concentric brick circles. The three steps leading up to the column are inscribed, respectively, “Faith,” “Hope” and “Love” – the virtues that sustained those living in bondage.
The memorial is located approximately 50 yards southwest of George and Martha Washington's tomb, on a bluff above the Potomac River. This sacred ground was used as a burial ground for those enslaved and a few members of the free African American community who worked at Mount Vernon in the 18th and 19th centuries. Oral histories suggest that the bodies were buried with their feet towards the east (the river), symbolizing individuals' desire to return to Africa.
The graves were either unmarked or the markings did not survive, and the identities and numbers of those buried remain largely unknown. Among those thought to be buried at the site are William Lee and West Ford. Both Lee and Ford were free men at the time of their deaths.
In what is believed to be the first act of its kind at a historic home, in 1929, the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association (MVLA) placed a commemorative marker on the bluff above the river noting the site of the African American Burial Ground. It reads: “In memory of the many faithful colored servants of the Washington family buried at Mount Vernon from 1760 to 1860. Their unidentified graves surround this spot.”
Although this official recognition was important, the area received little public attention, as it was located off the beaten path. In 1983, inspired by Washington Post columnist Dorothy Gilliam, who argued that the burial area deserved more focus and interpretation, a group of citizens began a concerted effort to draw attention to and honor the enslaved at Mount Vernon and other historic sites.
Partnering with Black Women United for Action, the MVLA dedicated a new slave memorial in 1983, designed by students at the architecture school at Howard University. Annually, the Association holds ceremonies at this spot in tribute to the generations of enslaved people who lived and worked at Mount Vernon.
Since 2014, the MVLA has been engaged in a multi-year project to document the locations of individual burials at the site. There is no record of the number or identities of free and enslaved people interred. As of 2025, archaeologists have documented 87 burial sites, and research is ongoing.
Daily Tribute
Today, visitors may participate in daily tributes given at the Washington Tomb and Slave Memorial.
Visit the Memorial
Special Tribute at the Slave Memorial
Commemorate the community of the enslaved people who lived and worked at Mount Vernon during a special wreath-laying presentation after the Enslaved People of Mount Vernon Tour.
Archaeology
African American Burial Ground Survey
Learn more about Mount Vernon's recent archaeological studies within the Mount Vernon African American Burial Ground.
Discovering Their Story
Researching Slavery
Most enslaved people never had an opportunity to learn reading or writing, so they left few written records of their own. We use a variety of sources to piece together the stories of Mount Vernon’s enslaved community.
Slavery at Mount Vernon
Washington depended on the labor of hundreds of enslaved men, women, and children to build and maintain his household and plantation.They, in turn, found ways to survive in a world that denied their freedom.
Learn More