"Let No Irreverent Hand Change It": The Interpretation of Slavery at George Washington's Mount Vernon, 1853 to Present
Loading...
Links to Files
Permanent Link
Author/Creator
Author/Creator ORCID
Date
2021-01-01
Type of Work
Department
History
Program
Historical Studies
Citation of Original Publication
Rights
This item may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. It is made available by UMBC for non-commercial research and education. For permission to publish or reproduce, please see http://aok.lib.umbc.edu/specoll/repro.php or contact Special Collections at speccoll(at)umbc.edu
Distribution Rights granted to UMBC by the author.
Access limited to the UMBC community. Item may possibly be obtained via Interlibrary Loan thorugh a local library, pending author/copyright holder's permission.
Distribution Rights granted to UMBC by the author.
Access limited to the UMBC community. Item may possibly be obtained via Interlibrary Loan thorugh a local library, pending author/copyright holder's permission.
Abstract
This theses explores how the interpretation of slavery at Mount Vernon has changed over time, tracing moments of change from the formation of the MVLA in 1853 until the present day. Often, audience reluctance or bigotry are blamed for the absence or weakness of slavery interpretation at historic sites, or curators and administrators claim that visitors do not want to hear about the difficult and uncomfortable history of slavery. However, in analyzing the influence the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association has exerted on efforts to develop a more inclusive narrative at the site, I argue that it is not the audience, but the stewards and donors who play the biggest role in limiting or advancing the interpretation of slavery. This theses ultimately contributes to justice-oriented conversations about racial injustice, and ways that public history sites can maintain – or hopefully, disrupt – them.