Learn About How the Enslaved Resisted Slavery
Discover how enslaved men and women at Mount Vernon defined their agency and the legacies they left behind.
Visit the Family Hub
9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Visit the bowling green to learn more about the lives of enslaved people at Mount Vernon and what emancipation and resistance meant in 18th-century Virginia. Discover how enslaved men and women defined their agency and the legacies they left behind. There will be opportunities for both self and group reflection and self-expression through art.
Visit with Tudor Place Educators
June 19
Explore the life of John Luckett, who self-emancipated from Fairfax County, Virginia in 1862 and made his way into the District of Columbia after the Compensated Emancipation Act was signed. He would be hired as the gardener of Tudor Place, a role he held for 44 years. From 1862-1906, Mr. Luckett made a home for himself and his family in the SW quadrant of DC near Capitol Hill and became part of a vibrant community.
Visit with Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House
June 19-21
Hear from Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House staff to learn about how Woodlawn transformed from a plantation to an antislavery community in the decade leading up to the Civil War. Many of the free Black families who became landowners at Woodlawn in the 1850s were descendants of people who had been enslaved at Mount Vernon and had family ties those who were enslaved by the Lewis family at Woodlawn. During the war, the community came together to form the Accotink Home Guard, an integrated militia unit that fought to defend their community from Confederate raiders.
Performances and Demonstrations:
- Music of the Revolution: 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
- A Spy Called James by Anne Rockwell & Floyd Cooper Story Time at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
- Head to the Interpretive Center for special character performances that consider freedom and resistance through the eyes of Ona Judge, Peter Hardiman, and Hercules Posey.
- Music of the African Diaspora (June 20 & 21 10:00-4:00): Join special guests SlamOne to discover how music can serve as a common language that connects generations and cultures.
Tours and Commemorations:
Join an Enslaved People of Mount Vernon Specialty Tour at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 2 p.m. This program is included with admission. A free ticket is required to hold your place in line. Tours will start at the Mansion circle.
Honor the lives of the enslaved at our African American Burial Ground Commemoration Ceremony at 11:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m., and 3:15 p.m.
Demonstrations:
- Spinning Demonstrations June 19 and 20 (9 a.m.-1 p.m.; 2 p.m.-5 p.m.): Stop by the spinning house in the historic area to learn about enslaved and hired spinners and 18th-century spinning techniques.
- Cooking Demonstrations June 19 - 21 (9 a.m.-1 p.m.): Visit the replica slave cabin on the Farm to learn about recipes of the enslaved community at Mount Vernon.
- Foodways of the Enslaved June 19-21 (9 a.m.-1 p.m.): Visit the replica slave cabin on the Farm to learn about the role of farming, foraging, and gardening in the lives of the enslaved community at Mount Vernon.
- Blacksmith Demonstrations June 19-21 (9 a.m.-12 p.m.; 1 p.m.-5 p.m.): In the historic area, see Mount Vernon staff demonstrate 18th-century blacksmithing techniques.
Exploration
Archaeology June 19-20: Visit the Enslaved Memorial and Burial Ground to see Mount Vernon’s Archaeological Field School and learn about ongoing research about the enslaved people who lived here.
Livestock Look & Learns June 19-21: Hear from Livestock staff about the many animals that lived at Mount Vernon in the 18th century.
- Sheep Look & Learn: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.; 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
- Oxen Look & Learn: 10:30 a.m. - 11 a.m.
- Horse Look & Learn: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Hog/Turkey Look & Learn: 1 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Remembering the Enslaved People of Mount Vernon
