However, the cost of that beauty rests in deep soil, watered by the sweat and tears of generations of slaves. Although Jefferson personally supervised his architectural, horticultural, and agricultural projects, their successful consummation depended on the toil of others. That is why visitors take away another, more somber, memento from any visit to Monticello: namely, a lasting impression of the human cost of Jefferson's accomplishments. He was without a doubt a man of prodigious intellect, vision and compassion. But, his legacy--and the legacy of our nation--cannot be assessed without paying tribute to the enslaved persons whose strength and endurance, faith and determination were its underpinning.A new exhibit at the Smithsonian American History Museum called Slavery at Jefferson's Monticello: Paradox of Liberty lives up to its title. It contrasts the everyday lives of Jefferson's slaves with his opinions of them. Sponsored by the soon-to-be-built National Museum of African American History and Culture, the exhibit is literally built around a replica of a bronze life-size statue of Thomas Jefferson, emphasizing the central paradox of a slave owner who was also a champion of Enlightenment ideals. His slaves, like all slaves during that time, knew that their lives depended on their master's decisions. How they responded to their circumstances, though, was a matter of personal character. And the exhibition makes clear that many slaves and their descendants, by their thoughts and actions, came to embody the very ideals of liberty and human rights that Jefferson himself could never reconcile with the institution of slavery.
I have been to the exhibit twice, trying to absorb the lessons it has to teach. The displays are modest and the exhibit space relatively small for all it encompasses. But, if you are able to see it without the press of too large a crowd, I know the exhibit will resurface often in your thoughts. It has certainly tugged at mine since I last visited a week ago.
Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson will always be a towering figure in the American mind, because his words frame our democracy. But, he also was aware of a troubling exception to the doctrine of equal opportunity--the thousands of slaves on whose backs rested the economic prosperity of early white American landowners. He believed, in his own words, that blacks "are inferior to whites in the endowments both of body and mind." We cannot excuse, but can acknowledge that his belief reflected the misguided judgments of his time. And to his credit, he understood that slavery was inhumane and needed to end. During his presidency he signed a law prohibiting the importation of slaves into the US. He also proposed, according to the exhibit, several schemes to return slaves to a condition of freedom. In his Notes on the State of Virginia in 1785 he put forth the idea of gradual emancipation. He also wrote that colonization back to Africa would end the institution and restore slaves to their homeland. At one point he advocated diffusion of slaves into the western states, in the hopes that by diluting the number of slaves in any one place the institution itself would collapse.
Although he certainly struggled with the idea of slavery and treated his own slaves well by the standards of the day, during his lifetime and in his will, he freed a mere nine individuals, all members of the Hemings family (more on them below). And because Monticello, even with slave labor, was badly in debt at the time of his death, his heirs eventually sold almost all of the remaining slaves to pay off his financial obligations. Hardly a benevolent legacy.
Jefferson's Slaves
On the curved wall behind the statue of Jefferson are the names of the 600 slaves who lived and worked at Monticello during Jefferson's lifetime and whose identities are noted in his meticulous records. They provide a another stark framework for the exhibit. The names appear, line after line, and cover a space about 12 x 15 feet. The vast majority do not include a surname, as if slaves did not need one. For example, there are four named simply Abby, seven named Aggy, twelve called Betty (only one with a surname); seven men known only as Will, four as Ambrose. And so on. From this group, historians were able to establish clear identities and family ties for six family groups. Those families--their genealogies, a bit about their personal histories, and artifacts recovered from Monticello excavations that relate to their daily lives--are the focus of much of the remainder of the exhibit.
Archaeological excavations of Mulberry Row--the line of slave quarters and workplaces at Monticello--uncovered the vast majority of the artifacts on display in the exhibit. These artifacts help to characterize the six families featured in the exhibit and give a sense of what life was like for the men, women, and children who labored at Monticello during Jefferson's lifetime.
The Hubbard Family. Two of the sons are featured in this display. Both were purchased when they were young and sent to work in the Nailery, a business venture Jefferson started to supplement plantation income. Because it was a low skill task, many young slaves started their working life in the Nailery. Many of the bent remnants of this work were discovered when the Nailery was excavated by archaeologists and are on display here. The exhibit also describes how each of the brothers attempted to run away from slavery, one several times before finally disappearing. Their motivation was to join spouses who had been sold or given to other owners.
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| Isaac Granger |
The Hern Family. David and Isabel Hern raised a family of 12 at Monticello. He was a skilled woodworker and wheelwright, and some artifacts associated with his trade are displayed (e.g. part of a jack, an ox shoe and yoke). His son David Jr. drove a wagon to DC during Jefferson's term as President, to deliver supplies but also to see his wife who was an apprentice cook at the White House. Although the exhibit does not discuss it, slaves in the American south were encouraged to take wives, since they could produce offspring and thus continue to supply new workers. This was in contrast to the South American slave trade, which brought in almost all men in an arrangement that was a form of indentured servitude; many of these slaves were able to earn their freedom. Thus, a continuous supply of new labor was always needed. The exhibit notes that two of the Hern brothers married "abroad"--outside the plantation--and then persuaded Jefferson to buy their wives, something he no doubt saw as a sound investment. When Jefferson died, 34 of the Hern's surviving offspring were sold to help erase farm debts.
The Hemings Family. Jefferson's liaison with Sally Hemings has been widely discussed. The lives of the Hemings family have been dissected and debated in some detail, and records of their experiences have been our window into the life of the most privileged slaves on Jefferson's estate. Sally's mother, Elizabeth, was inherited by Jefferson from his father-in-law, John Wayles, in 1774. She brought with her 6 children, all of whom were probably fathered by Wayles, including Sally, who would have been the half-sister of Jefferson's wife, Martha Wayles. Sally accompanied Jefferson, who was a widower at the time, to France when he served as US Minister. Most historians now agree that she was, in fact, his concubine and he was the father of some, if not all, of her children. She and 8 other slaves including four of her children, all members of the Hemings family, were the only people Jefferson freed either during his lifetime or in his will. The rest of the Hemings were sold after his death, as was the case with other families featured in the exhibit. The many skilled artisans in the Hemings family,were valuable not just to Jefferson, but to whoever owned them. Their skill is particularly evident in the exhibit's display of fine woodworking tools, a hanging cupboard, and chair, all used or crafted by John Hemings or one of his sons.
The Fossett Family. Joseph Fossett was the son of Mary Hemings Bell, daughter of Elizabeth Hemings. His wife, Edith Hern, was a trusted slave who lived in the White House while Jefferson served as President. One story recounted in the exhibit is of Joseph being reported as a runaway, until it was discovered he was visiting his wife in DC. Both he and his mother, Mary, both a part of the Hemings line, were freed in Jefferson's will. But Edith and seven of their children were sold to pay off plantation debts. His son Peter, who was literate, took his books to his new owner, who discovered him reading soon after he arrived. The owner, a Col Jones, told Peter that if he ever caught him with a book again he would whip him. A small pencil and slate, only about 3" square, are part of the artifacts on display. Also, a finely wrought copper vegetable pot and saute pan hint at what Edith might have used while cooking at Monticello.
The Gillette Family. Edward and Jane Gillette (known as Ned and Jenny to Jefferson) were industrious and resourceful, even within the confines of slavery. Their son, Barnaby, was a cooper who made flour barrels. Jefferson encouraged his work by allowing him to earn the price of one barrel for every 31 he sold, which produced an income up to $40 a year. The family also sold fish, chickens, eggs, garden produce and wooden pails. But, despite their status, in 1827 after Jefferson's death, both Ned and Jenny, 9 of their children and 12 of their grandchildren were sold as part of the estate's efforts to pay off debts accrued by Jefferson during his lifetime.
The Descendants
The last partitioned space of the exhibit traces the lives of those who came after these families. What is clear from the brief displays and a short video is that even though their ancestors did not come voluntarily to this country and were treated cruelly for many generations, the descendants of slaves must be proudly counted among all citizens who have dedicated their lives to fulfilling Jefferson's promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This fact is bolstered by the stories descendants of Jefferson's slaves tell in a recently initiated oral history project, Getting Word. Although the exhibit makes limited use of these interviews, complete information is available on the Monticello website.
The repeated themes of these interviews are notable. They stress
- the importance of education
- the centrality of faith
- the strength of family bonds
- the struggle for freedom and equality
The descendants of Monticello slaves have established churches, fought for civil rights and women's suffrage, worked as judges, teachers, doctors and public servants. They have, in short, helped build our nation. Their accomplishments and this thought-provoking exhibit deserve widespread attention.
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