Shows
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential LibraryRevolutionary Leadership with Rick AtkinsonIn this episode of Leadership and Legacy, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist Rick Atkinson delves into the nature of military leadership through the lens of George Washington during the Revolutionary War. Atkinson outlines the essential traits of an effective commander—unshakable resolve, strategic communication, and a keen ability to navigate the complexities of the battlefield across both space and time. He also highlights Washington’s political acumen and talent for recognizing potential in others, setting him apart from his British counterparts, whose flawed assumptions and leadership missteps raise the intriguing question: Could the British have won? Tune in to gain...2025-06-2342 min
The E Pluribus Unum ShowEp. #18: Dr. Doug Bradburn - "George Washington"Dr. Doug Bradburn: On January 1, 2018, Douglas Bradburn, Ph.D., became the 11th Director of George Washington's Mount Vernon. Bradburn joined Mount Vernon in 2013 when named the Founding Director of The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon. He is an award-winning author and well-known scholar of early American history. Bradburn is the author of The Citizenship Revolution: Politics and the Creation of the American Union, 1774-1804, and three anthologies, including Early Modern Virginia: Reconsidering the Old Dominion, the most significant book produced to mark the 400th anniversary of the English founding of Jamestown. He is...2024-12-0225 min
Inventing the PresidencyNOW AVAILABLE: Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington LibraryNew from the Washington Presidential Library, Leadership and Legacy invites prominent leaders and historians to reflect on their growth, challenges, and innovative approaches that made them the leaders that they are today, as well as how these questions can be informed by the past — in particular the lessons and legacy of George Washington.Learn more at www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com.2024-10-2201 min
Secrets of Washington's ArchivesNOW AVAILABLE: Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington LibraryNew from the Washington Presidential Library, Leadership and Legacy invites prominent leaders and historians to reflect on their growth, challenges, and innovative approaches that made them the leaders that they are today, as well as how these questions can be informed by the past — in particular the lessons and legacy of George Washington.Learn more at www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com.2024-10-2201 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonNOW AVAILABLE: Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington LibraryNew from the Washington Presidential Library, Leadership and Legacy invites prominent leaders and historians to reflect on their growth, challenges, and innovative approaches that made them the leaders that they are today, as well as how these questions can be informed by the past — in particular the lessons and legacy of George Washington.Learn more at www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com.2024-10-2201 min
Inventing the PresidencyThe Farewell AddressThe publication of the Farewell Address was a momentous occasion for the young United States. In it, Washington established the most significant precedent of his presidency: the two-term limit. By giving up power, Washington ensured a peaceful transition for the next president. He sent the message that the presidency was not a lifetime appointment. And he did so willingly. In the final episode of Inventing the Presidency, we discuss Washington's final moments in office and reflect on his leadership. Rick Atkinson, Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, Dr. Peter Kastor, Dr. Sarah Georgini, and Ramin Ganeshram discuss what they believe...2024-07-0840 minInventing the PresidencyResistance and FreedomOna Maria Judge was twenty years old when the young enslaved woman walked out the doors of the Presidential mansion and never returned. Judge's courageous act of self-emancipation launched a national search and tested Washington's commitment to gradual abolition on the national stage. In this episode of Inventing the Presidency, Dr. Bruce Ragsdale and Ramin Ganeshram discuss abolition, slavery, and the remarkable stories of Ona Judge and Hercules Posey. For bibliographies, suggested readings, and lesson plans, go to www.GeorgeWashingtonPodcast.com. Inventing the Presidency is a production of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association and CD...2024-06-2458 minInventing the PresidencyThe Price of PeaceIn 1794, the United States was on the brink of war. But the British weren't the only ones on the offensive. An incendiary printer with a famous grandfather would soon accuse Washington of treason, tyranny, even murder. In this episode, Joseph Adelman and Lindsay Chervinsky discuss the backlash surrounding the Jay Treaty and the controversial newspaper run by Benjamin Franklin Bache. For bibliographies, suggested readings, and lesson plans, go to www.GeorgeWashingtonPodcast.com.Inventing the Presidency is a production of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association and CD Squared Productions. This episode was written and directed by...2024-06-0343 minInventing the PresidencyThe Neutrality Crisis In 1793, a charismatic young Frenchman would arrive on American shores. His goal? To recruit American support for France’s War against Britain. As his popularity with Americans soared, Washington faced a new crisis that would pit him between two mighty European nations. Refuse the French, and the United States risked destroying one of their few alliances. Defy the British and the American experiment would be over. Join Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, Dr. Sandra Moats, and Ramin Ganeshram as we explore the Neutrality Crisis and the vital precedents it set for U.S. foreign diplomacy in this new episode of Inventing th...2024-05-2052 minInventing the PresidencySpecial Update on Rare Discovery of Preserved Cherries at Mount VernonSince news emerged that rare 18th-century cherries were discovered at Mount Vernon, archaeologists have uncovered more artifacts from George Washington’s basement. In this exclusive interview, archaeologists Dr. Jason Boroughs and Lily Carhart reveal their latest discoveries, including the name of the last person who may have placed hands on these bottles before they were buried over 200 years before. Inventing the Presidency is a production of The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and CD Squared Productions. This episode was hosted and produced by Dr. Anne Fertig. Our guests today were Jason Boroughs and Lily Carhart. To learn...2024-05-0734 min
Inventing the PresidencyThe Whiskey RebellionThe Whiskey Rebellion was an uprising in Western Pennsylvania protesting an unpopular tax. For George Washington, the rebellion held echoes of the revolution of days past. Except this time, the rebellion was against the new American government. Join Dr. Patrick Spero and Dr. Sandra Moats to learn about what started the Rebellion and how Washington’s decisions led to a peaceful solution.
For free videos, lesson plans, and more, click here.
Written and directed by Dr. Anne Fertig. Narrated by Tom Plott with additional voice acting by Dan Shippey, Matt Mattingly, Nathaniel Kuhn, Breck Pappas, and Samantha Snyder.
Inventing th...2024-04-2249 min
Inventing the PresidencyChief of Thirteen FiresSt. Clair’s Defeat in 1791 was—and remains—the worst defeat of the US army by Native American forces in American history, but it was just one incident in the complex relationship between the United States and the independent sovereign Indigenous nations who lived on lands claimed by the new country. In this episode, hear from Dr. Colin Calloway, Dr. Greg Ablavsky, and Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky about George Washington’s “Indian Policy” and the lead up to one of the worst disasters in US military history.
For free videos, lesson plans, and more, click here.
Written and d...2024-04-0857 min
Inventing the PresidencyThe First YearAfter the first presidential inauguration in 1789, George Washington faced the daunting prospect of starting a presidency from scratch. Every action he took would set a precedent. Ramin Ganeshram, Dr. Sara Georgini, Dr. Sandra Moats, and Dr. Patrick Spero explain the challenges of Washington’s first year in office, from his levees and tours to the deadly illness that almost took his life.
For free videos, lesson plans, and more, click here.
Written and directed by Dr. Anne Fertig. Narrated by Tom Plott with additional voice acting by Matt Mattingly, Betty Brown, Rachel Samson, Adam Erby and...2024-03-2537 min
Secrets of Washington's ArchivesLISTEN NOW: Inventing the PresidencyNow Available on all platforms! In this new podcast from the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, we'll explore George Washington as both President and precedent. From the very origins of the US presidency at the Constitutional Convention to Washington’s final warnings in his Farewell Address, we will break down how one man shaped the Presidency—and the many times that it could have all fallen apart. Learn more at www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com.2024-03-1201 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential LibraryNOW AVAILABLE: Inventing the PresidencyNow Available on all platforms! In this new podcast from the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, we'll explore George Washington as both President and precedent. From the very origins of the US presidency at the Constitutional Convention to Washington’s final warnings in his Farewell Address, we will break down how one man shaped the Presidency—and the many times that it could have all fallen apart. Learn more at www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com.2024-03-1201 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonNOW AVAILABLE: Inventing the PresidencyNow Available on all platforms! In this new podcast from the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, we'll explore George Washington as both President and precedent. From the very origins of the US presidency at the Constitutional Convention to Washington’s final warnings in his Farewell Address, we will break down how one man shaped the Presidency—and the many times that it could have all fallen apart.
Learn more at www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com.
2024-03-1201 min
Inventing the PresidencyThe Making of a PresidentIn the early days of June, 1787, in the thick of the Constitutional Convention, a debate unfolded that would test the fate of the young American nation. Four years after the end of the American Revolution, the United States still had no functioning Executive branch. The Convention sought a solution that would eventually create one of the most hallowed institutions of the United States government: the presidency. In this episode, join Rick Atkinson, Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, Dr. Bruce Ragsdale, Dr. Patrick Spero, and Dr. Peter Kastor to explore the foundations of the American presidency and the first presidential election.
2024-03-1136 min
Inventing the PresidencyComing Soon: Inventing the PresidencyWhen George Washington was first elected in 1789, he became more than just the first president of the United States--he became the first president of any nation in the world. In this new podcast from the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, we'll explore George Washington as both President and precedent. From the very origins of the US presidency at Constitutional Convention to Washington’s final warnings in his Farewell Address, we will break down how one man shaped the Presidency—and the many times that it could have all fallen
apart.
Inventing the Pres...2024-01-0901 min
Secrets of Washington's ArchivesA Presidential PrimerThe State of the Union address may be an annual tradition now, but when Washington prepared to give his address in 1790, the expectations weighed heavily upon him. To prepare for this momentous occasion, Washington turned, pen in hand, back to the Constitution itself. In this episode of The Secrets of Washington's Archives, Dr. Douglas Bradburn, President & CEO of George Washington's Mount Vernon, explores Washington's own copy of the Constitution contained within a volume of the first Acts of Congress. Within this extraordinary text, we see Washington's own handwritten notes on what it meant to be president. 2023-10-2328 min
Secrets of Washington's ArchivesA Gift from SpainWashington bought a copy of Don Quixote on the last day of the Constitutional Convention. But what is so significant about this Spanish story? And what did Benjamin Franklin and the Spanish ambassador have to do with it? In this episode, Dr. Douglas Bradburn, President & CEO of George Washington's Mount Vernon, tells us the story behind two versions of this spectacular tale. Watch the Video Companion: https://www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com2023-10-0929 min
Secrets of Washington's ArchivesA Syllabus for WarGeorge Washington’s commitment to professionalism went hand-in-hand with his leadership as both a general and a president. He believed strongly in creating an American army that adhered to new models of professional military duty. In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz explores Washington’s military education and what we can learn from Washington’s leadership today. 2023-09-2532 min
Secrets of Washington's ArchivesAn American Way of FarmingFarming was Washington’s greatest passion, and he devoted himself to the study of new and emerging agricultural practices. Associate Curator Jessie Macleod discusses how enslaved men and women at Mount Vernon put some of these innovative ideas into practice. Watch the video companion: https://www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com2023-09-1135 min
Secrets of Washington's Archives"Murder Heaped Upon Murder"A message scrawled in the leaves of an antique book may seem like a trope for a gothic novel, but it is also a hidden clue into the life of Martha Washington. Like George, Martha Washington enjoyed reading and collecting books, particularly the sensational gothic novels of the era. And these novels are more than just light entertainment: they tell a story about the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter, revealed through the pages of the book itself. Watch the Video Companion: www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com2023-08-2826 min
Secrets of Washington's ArchivesTouring Revolutionary AmericaCome take a journey through Revolutionary America through the eyes of a French aristocrat and natural historian. While many remember George Washington’s famous friendship with the Marquis de Lafayette, fewer are aware of his close relationship with the Marquis de Chastellux, a French soldier and popular philosophe. In this episode, Dr. Iris de Rode joins us to discuss Chastellux’s famous travel diaries and his deep and abiding friendship with George Washington.2023-08-1433 min
Secrets of Washington's ArchivesMapping George Washington's AmericaIn the early American Republic, nationhood represented more than just an ideal. It also required a novel approach to visualizing the space and geography of the new country. Washington wanted to literally put the United States of America on the map. And where better to do it than in one of the most popular atlases of the era? In this episode Dr. Alexandra Montgomery shares the story of how George Washington helped create the first American Atlas and the significance of creating new American maps in the wake of independence.2023-07-3130 min
Secrets of Washington's ArchivesFaith and FreedomIn the aftermath of independence, the American branch of the Church of England faced an identity crisis. The head of the Anglican Church, after all, was the King of England. So what were the faithful Anglicans to do? Make their own American prayer book, of course. In this full-length podcast episode, we explore a set of prayer books belonging to Martha Washington and her granddaughters. Classroom resource specialist Jennifer Seiter explains what this Washington family heirloom can reveal about the sweeping religious changes happening in the United States during the early Republic and George Washington’s own commitment to re...2023-07-1726 min
Secrets of Washington's ArchivesThe Case of the Missing MagazineWhen this magazine disappeared from George Washington's library, it wouldn't reappear until a hundred years later--and in the unlikeliest of places. In this episode of Secrets of Washington's Archives, research librarian Samantha Snyder uncovers the history of The Bee and its connections with Elizabeth Powel, a prominent Philadelphia woman and close friend of Washington. See the video companion and more at www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com2023-07-0329 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonNow Available: The Secrets of Washington's ArchivesWhat did George Washington write in his personal copy of the Constitution? Who left behind messages inside some of Washington’s books? How did Washington learn to become a professional soldier?
Mount Vernon introduces its latest podcast and video series, The Secrets of Washington's Archives. Come explore the books, manuscripts, and maps found inside the George Washington Presidential Library’s special collections and hear stories about George Washington, the American Revolution, and the Presidency.
Learn more at www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com.
Music by SoulProdMusic at Pixabay.2023-07-0301 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential LibraryNOW AVAILABLE: The Secrets of Washington's ArchivesWhat did George Washington write in his personal copy of the Constitution? Who left behind messages inside some of Washington’s books? How did Washington learn to become a professional soldier?
Mount Vernon introduces its latest podcast and video series, The Secrets of Washington's Archives. Come explore the books, manuscripts, and maps found inside the George Washington Presidential Library’s special collections and hear stories about George Washington, the American Revolution, and the Presidency.
The series will release June 5, 2023 for Mount Vernon members and June 19 for audiences everywhere. Learn more at www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com.
Musi...2023-06-2001 min
Secrets of Washington's ArchivesLearning to be George WashingtonPublished in 1679, The Compleat Surveyor was a textbook for those training in the field of surveying, including a young George Washington. But don’t be fooled by its simple description: its early influence on Washington would last throughout his life. In this first episode, we will explore Washington's education and passion for maps with our Curator of Special Collections, Dana Stefanelli.2023-06-1928 min
Secrets of Washington's ArchivesTrailer-The Secrets of Washington's ArchivesWhat did George Washington write in his personal copy of the Constitution? Who left behind messages inside some of Washington’s books? How did Washington learn to become a professional soldier? Mount Vernon introduces its latest podcast and video series, The Secrets of Washington's Archives. Come explore the books, manuscripts, and maps found inside the George Washington Presidential Library’s special collections and hear stories about George Washington, the American Revolution, and the Presidency. The series will release June 5, 2023 for Mount Vernon members and June 19 for audiences everywhere. Learn more at www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com. Mu...2023-05-1801 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library226. Cross-examining Washington's Heir with Prof. Gerard MaglioccaWhen George Washington wrote his final will in the months before he died in December 1799, he named Bushrod Washington as heir to his papers and to Mount Vernon. He took possession of his uncle’s Virginia plantation when Martha Washington passed away in 1802. But Bushrod was not as interested in agriculture as George had been. He was a lawyer who later became an Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court, where he became a staunch ally of Chief Justice John Marshall. Yet, like George, Bushrod owned numerous enslaved people and became one of the founding members of the American Co...2022-10-3142 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonIntertwined Stories: What We Leave Behind...In Intertwined Stories, we’re taking a deeper dive into the history behind the podcast Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount Vernon by bringing you extended versions of some of the interviews with the series' contributors.
The Quander Family can trace its roots in Virginia and Maryland back to the early seventeenth century. This family became part of the Mount Vernon story in the early nineteenth century when a free Black man named Charles Quander married Nancy Carter, a woman formerly enslaved by George Washington.
But the connection didn’t end there. In more...2022-04-2615 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonIntertwined Stories: Martha Washington's Mount VernonIn Intertwined Stories, we’re taking a deeper dive into the history behind the podcast Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount Vernon by bringing you extended versions of some of the interviews with the series' contributors.
Mount Vernon was as much Martha Washington’s home as it was George Washington’s. It was Martha’s wealth, after all, that helped fund the plantation’s expansion and allowed George to claim his place among the Virginia elite. Like so many Virginia women in the period, Martha was already a widow when she married George in 1759. In fact, she...2022-04-1917 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonIntertwined Stories: Rediscovering FamiliesIn Intertwined Stories, we’re taking a deeper dive into the history behind the podcast Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount Vernon by bringing you extended versions of some of the interviews with the series' contributors.
As a child, Ann Chinn didn’t understand her family’s connection to Mount Vernon, the Washingtons, or the Custis Family. But later in life, she came to learn that she was a descendent of Sall Twine. Twine was a woman assigned to work as a field laborer on Dogue Run Farm. She was owned by the estate of Marth...2022-04-1118 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential LibraryIntroducing Intertwined Stories: Finding Hercules PoseyWe're delighted to bring you one of the bonus episodes from our other podcast, Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. In Intertwined Stories, we're featuring extended interviews with some of the expert contributors to the main Intertwined show. Today, you'll hear part of the conversation that Jim Ambuske and Jeanette Patrick had with Ramin Ganeshram about Hercules Posey. Posey was the Washington’s enslaved chef, and for more than 200 years old we didn’t know happened to him after he self-emancipated on George Washington’s birthday - February 22, 1797. But now we do....2022-04-0619 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonIntertwined Stories: Living and LaboringIn Intertwined Stories, we’re taking a deeper dive into the history behind the podcast Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount Vernon by bringing you extended versions of some of the interviews with the series' contributors.
Labor dictated life for enslaved communities at Mount Vernon and beyond. And yet despite their enslavement, people like Sambo Anderson, Kate, and Carolina Branham carved out time for themselves, created families, and forged relationships – sometimes across vast distances – that brought them comfort and some sense of control over their own lives.
As we heard throughout Intertwined, reconstruc...2022-03-2917 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonIntertwined Stories: Dividing FamiliesIn Intertwined Stories, we’re taking a deeper dive into the history behind the podcast Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount Vernon by bringing you extended versions of some of the interviews with the series' contributors.
In Episode 6 of Intertwined, we began to explore what happened to the enslaved community after January 1, 1801, the day that Martha Washington emancipated the people once enslaved by her late husband.
That day transformed the community forever. While it meant freedom for the people George Washington enslaved, it meant continued enslavement for the people owned by the esta...2022-03-1423 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonIntertwined Stories: Landscapes of MeaningIn Intertwined Stories, we’re taking a deeper dive into the history behind the podcast Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount Vernon by bringing you extended versions of some of the interviews with the series' contributors.
Throughout Intertwined, archaeological research helped us uncover the lives of Kate, Doll, Frank Lee, Neptune, and hundreds of other people enslaved at Mount Vernon.
While we can learn many important details about the past from letters, account books, or maps, equally important answers lay just beneath the surface.
To help us better understand how arche...2022-03-0821 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonIntertwined Stories: Finding Hercules PoseyIn Intertwined Stories, we’re taking a deeper dive into the history behind the podcast Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount Vernon by bringing you extended versions of some of the interviews with the series' contributors.
In Episode 5 of Intertwined we encountered Hercules Posey, a man enslaved by the Washingtons, worked as their chef, and who self-emancipated from Mount Vernon in February 1797. For over 200 years, we had little idea of Posey’s whereabouts after he left the plantation. But thanks to recent research, now we do.
To learn more about Hercules Posey, we talk...2022-03-0118 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library218. Finding Washington at the Plow with Dr. Bruce RagsdaleIn the 1760s, tobacco was one of Virginia’s chief exports. But George Washington turned away from the noxious plant and began dreaming of wheat and a more profitable future. Washington became enamored with new ideas powering the agricultural revolution in Great Britain and set out to implement this new form of husbandry back home at Mount Vernon. His quest to become a gentleman farmer reshaped Mount Vernon’s landscape and altered the lives of the plantation’s enslaved community, and his own ideas about slavery, forever. On today’s show, Dr. Bruce Ragsdale joins Jim Ambuske to chat about his new...2022-01-2044 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonEpisode 8: LegaciesEpisode 8: "Legacies"
Interpreting slavery at Mount Vernon was not part of the mission of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association when the organization purchased the estate in the mid-nineteenth century. Over time, however, investigating the people enslaved at Mount Vernon and educating the public about their lives and legacies has become central to the Association’s work. In our final episode, we look at how interpreting slavery has become intertwined with interpreting the Washingtons at Mount Vernon, and collaborative efforts by the Association and the Descendants Community to tell a story of lives bound together.
Featuring:
Je...2021-12-211h 02
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonEpisode 7: PreservingEpisode 7: “Preserving”
Edmund Parker never knew George and Martha Washington, but he knew Mount Vernon and the Washington Family very well. Parker was one of the many enslaved people who labored on the plantation in the nineteenth century after the Washingtons’ deaths. Later, as a free man, Parker was among Mount Vernon’s first interpreters when the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association purchased the property. In this episode, we explore what happened to the Mount Vernon landscape in the nineteenth century and various efforts to preserve the estate and George Washington’s memory as the nation headed for civil war.2021-12-2054 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonEpisode 6: LeavingEpisode 6: “Leaving”
Nancy Carter Quander was just a child when George Washington died in December 1799, but his death changed her life forever. Washington’s decision to emancipate his enslaved people in his will had consequences for Mount Vernon’s enslaved community and their descendants that persist into our own time. In this episode, we look at the meaning of freedom for a community intertwined through marriage and kinship, its continued evolution after Martha Washington’s own death in 1802, and how members of the descendent community are recovering their family histories.
Featuring:
Jessie MacLeod, Associate Curator, G...2021-12-1353 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonEpisode 5: ResistingEpisode 5: “Resisting”
In May 1796, Ona Judge self-emancipated by fleeing from President George Washington’s Philadelphia home. Her escape was just one example of the many ways that Mount Vernon’s enslaved community resisted their bondage. Some acts were subtle and easy to miss, others were much more dramatic, regardless the threat of punishment was ever present. In this episode, we follow Judge’s flight to freedom, and explore the stories of Hercules Posey and Harry Washington, to examine how enslaved people defied George and Martha Washington’s authority.
Featuring:
Jessie MacLeod, Associate Curator, George Washington’s...2021-12-081h 00
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonEpisode 4: LivingEpisode 4: “Living”
Kate, her husband Will, and their children lived and worked on Muddy Hole Farm. When her family suffered a tragedy, they drew strength from the kinship ties and friendships they shared with other members of Mount Vernon’s enslaved community. In this episode, we examine daily life, culture, and religious practices of the enslaved people at the plantation. We also explore how on-going archeological work at Mount Vernon helps us piece together the enslaved community’s lived experience and recover their voices when the written record falls silent.
Featuring:
Dr. Brenda Stevenson, Hillary...2021-11-2939 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonEpisode 3: RevolutionsEpisode 3: “Revolutions”
William Lee was George Washington’s trusted enslaved valet. For over two decades, he attended Washington from early morning until nightfall. In times of peace and war, Lee rode with Washington through Mount Vernon’s fields, out to his western lands, and into battle against the British. In this episode, we follow Lee’s journey to investigate revolutions in Mount Vernon’s agricultural life, American politics, and Washington’s views on slavery.
Featuring:
Dr. Bruce Ragsdale, former Director of the Federal Judicial History Office
Jessie MacLeod, Associate Curator, George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Dr. Cas...2021-11-2244 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential LibraryPreviewing Episode 1 of Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington's Mount VernonOn this week's show, we bring you Episode 1 of Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington's Mount Vernon. Entitled "Passages," it features the life of Sambo Anderson, who was just a boy when he was captured in West Africa, survived the Middle Passage, and purchased by an ambitious George Washington sometime in the late 1760s. During his years of enslavement at Mount Vernon, Anderson became a carpenter, a husband, and a father. In this episode, we tell the story of Anderson’s life to explore the rise of slavery in the Chesapeake Bay region, George and Martha Washington’s conn...2021-11-1742 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonEpisode 1: PassagesEpisode 1: “Passages”
Sambo Anderson was just a boy when he was captured in West Africa, survived the Middle Passage, and purchased by an ambitious George Washington sometime in the late 1760s. During his years of enslavement at Mount Vernon, Anderson became a carpenter, a husband, and a father. In this episode, we tell the story of Anderson’s life to explore the rise of slavery in the Chesapeake Bay region, George and Martha Washington’s connections to the transatlantic slave trade, and the laws that marked the boundaries between slavery and freedom in Virginia.
Featuring:
Dr...2021-11-1541 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonEpisode 2: LaboringEpisode 2: “Laboring”
As an overseer, Davy Gray was entrusted by George Washington with the management of the enslaved laborers on Dogue Run Farm. His weekly reports to Washington revealed progress toward Washington’s goal of transforming Mount Vernon into a model of British agriculture. But Gray was also enslaved, just like the men, women, and children he oversaw. In this episode, we explore Gray’s complicated story to learn about the daily labor of Mount Vernon’s enslaved community and Washington’s relentless quest to make his plantation into a self-sustaining enterprise.
Featuring:
Jessie MacLeod, Ass...2021-11-1536 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential LibraryIntertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington's Mount Vernon (Coming November 15, 2021)Intertwined tells the story of the more than 577 people enslaved by George and Martha Washington at Mount Vernon. Told through the biographies of Sambo Anderson, Davy Gray, William Lee, Kate, Ona Judge, Nancy Carter Quander, Edmund Parker, Caroline Branham, and the Washingtons, this eight-part podcast series explores the lives and labors of Mount Vernon’s enslaved community, and how we interpret slavery at the historic site today. Intertwined is narrated by Brenda Parker and is a production of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and CD Squared. Find Intertwined on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you...2021-11-1001 min
Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonIntroducing Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount VernonIntertwined tells the story of the more than 577 people enslaved by George and Martha Washington at Mount Vernon. Told through the biographies of Sambo Anderson, Davy Gray, William Lee, Kate, Ona Judge, Nancy Carter Quander, Edmund Parker, Caroline Branham, and the Washingtons, this eight-part podcast series explores the lives and labors of Mount Vernon’s enslaved community, and how we interpret slavery at the historic site today.
Intertwined is narrated by Brenda Parker and is a production of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and CD Squared.
Find Intertwined on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you...2021-11-0401 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library207. Offering George Washington a Royal Gift with Professor José Emilio Yanes (Summer Repeat)In 1784, King Charles III of Spain sent George Washington a token of his esteem. Knowing that Washington had long sought a Spanish donkey for his Mount Vernon estate, the king permitted a jack to be exported to the new United States. Washington named the donkey Royal Gift in recognition of its royal origin, and the donkey became somewhat of a minor celebrity when he disembarked from his ship in 1785. As it turns out, Spanish jacks like Royal Gift were highly prized animals in the Atlantic world. And in this case the Spanish, who had supported the United States during the...2021-08-0539 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library205. Grieving with the Widow Washington with Dr. Martha SaxtonIn the eighteenth century, death stalked early Americans like a predator hunting its prey. In Virginia, as in other colonies, death made children orphans and wives widows, making a precarious existence all that much more challenging. For the Virginia elite, death also created opportunities for widows and widowers alike to protect their interests, their property, and their social standing through advantageous re-marriages. But the predator’s teeth never dulled, and when it took another life some Virginians like Mary Washington turned to devotional texts for comfort and for the strength to press onward. Historians have not looked favorably on George Wa...2021-07-1240 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library198. Contesting Monuments and Memory in South Carolina with Dr. Lydia BrandtThe South Carolina State House Grounds is a landscape of monuments and memory. Since the capital moved from Charleston to Columbia in the 1780s, South Carolinians have been erecting, moving, and contesting monuments on the capitol’s grounds, using them to debate the past as they really argue about their present. Monuments and statues are the subject of great debate right now, not only in the United States, but around the world, and South Carolina’s commemorations can help us to understand why. In 1858, South Carolinians purchased a George Washington statute for their capitol grounds, as did other legislatures in the...2021-04-0254 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library195b. [En Español] Ofreciendo a George Washington un regalo real con el profesor José Emilio YanesBienvenido a Conversaciones en la Biblioteca de Washington. Hoy, Jim Ambuske habla con el profesor José Emilio Yanes de la Universidad de Salamanca en España. Yanes es el autor del libro El Regalo de Carlos III A George Washington: El periplo de Royal Gift. El libro cuenta la historia de cómo un burro jugó un papel importante en la relación diplomática entre España y los nuevos Estados Unidos. Muchas gracias a Allan Winn, Jr. por traducir durante nuestra conversación. Gracias por escuchar. Obtenga más información sobre George Washington y...2021-02-1830 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library195a. Offering George Washington a Royal Gift with Professor José Emilio YanesIn 1784, King Charles III of Spain sent George Washington a token of his esteem. Knowing that Washington had long sought a Spanish donkey for his Mount Vernon estate, the king permitted a jack to be exported to the new United States. Washington named the donkey Royal Gift in recognition of its royal origin, and the donkey became somewhat of a minor celebrity when he disembarked from his ship in 1785. As it turns out, Spanish jacks like Royal Gift were highly prized animals in the Atlantic world. And in this case the Spanish, who had supported the United...2021-02-1843 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library194. Building Digital History Projects at the Washington Library with the ITPS InternsOne of the most important things we’re able to do at the Center for Digital History is offer internships to college students. Working with students allows us to move our projects forward while giving them real world opportunities to do the kind of work that historians do, and development skills that will hopefully serve them well later in life. Now, we’ve talked about our internship program on the show before – you might recall our chat with Jamie Morris of Washington College – and today you’ll get to hear from three excellent students who joined our...2021-02-0542 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library193. Rifling through Washington's Receipts with Dr. Julie MillerTake a receipt out of your pocket. What does it say about you? Receipts can tell us a lot about people and the world in which they lived. And George Washington kept receipts. On today’s show, Dr. Julie Miller joins Jim Ambuske to discuss the hidden lives we can find in Washington’s receipts and similar documents. Dr. Miller is a historian and the Curator of Early American Manuscripts at the Library of Congress, where she oversees a vast array of archival material, including Washington Papers. She’s also one of the forces behind the Li...2021-01-2153 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential LibraryThrowing a Change-Up at the Washington Library with Jim AmbuskeWe wanted to let you know of some exciting changes we’ll be making to the podcast that will allow you to hear more from groundbreaking historians and scholars in new ways. Beginning today, Conversations at the Washington Library is moving to an every other week schedule. That means no new episode this week, but we’ll be back on January 21, 2021 with my chat with Julie Miller of the Library of Congress about the hidden lives in George Washington’s papers. Now, why are we making this change? As you may know, since the be...2021-01-1401 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library192. Drinking Washington's Whiskey with Drew HannushFor many people, one of life’s great joys is a lovely dram of whiskey. Whether you’re a fan of Kentucky Bourbon, Single-malt Scotches, Japanese or Tennessee whiskey, every glass tells a story or contains memories that connect drinkers to different places, and different times. For Jim Ambuske, a dram of Cragganmore 12 instantly takes him back to Edinburgh, where he's spent many months hunting American Revolutionaries in the archives. But like most folks, he knows less about the stories behind the whiskies than I would like. That’s where Drew Hannush comes in. On today’s show, you’ll meet Dre...2021-01-0744 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library190. (Recast) The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret with Mary Thompson: Part 1Forty years ago, Mary V. Thompson began her career at Mount Vernon as a museum attendant and history interpreter. She was quickly promoted to Curatorial Assistant, and within a few short years was named Curatorial Registrar, where she began researching numerous Washington and Mount Vernon related topics such as 18th-century foodways, animals, religion, Native Americans, genealogy, domestic life, & slavery. Today, she is the Washington Library’s indispensable Research Historian, and as many of our listeners no doubt know, she is the go to person for all things Mount Vernon and Washington. In celebration of Mary’s 40...2020-12-3131 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library191. (Recast) The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret with Mary Thompson: Part 2This is Part Two of Jim Ambuske's July 2019 chat with Washington Library Research Historian Mary V. Thompson. We’re recasting it in celebration of her 40th anniversary at Mount Vernon. If you missed Part One, please do give it a listen. Happy New Year to you all. About Our Guest: Mary V. Thompson is a long-time (38 year) member of the staff at Mount Vernon, where she is now the Research Historian. She is the author of In the Hands of a Good Providence: Religion in the Life of George Washington, A Short Biography of Ma...2020-12-3140 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library186. Exploring New Frontiers in Early American History with Alexi Garrett, Michael Blaakman, Derek O’Leary, and Krysten BlackstoneIn the eighteenth century, Benjamin Franklin and other early Americans likened themselves to a rising people who were creating something new under the sun. It’s fair to say that historians have a similar mindset: we’re constantly striving to uncover new evidence, make new arguments, and offer new interpretations that help us better explain the past. So on today’s show, we’re going to introduce you to just a few among a rising generation of historians who are doing cutting edge work in early American history. Recently, the Washington Library partnered with the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jeff...2020-12-031h 34
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library185. Seeking a City of Refuge in the Great Dismal Swamp with Marcus P. NeviusThe Great Dismal Swamp is a remarkable feature of the southern coastal plain. Spanning from Norfolk, Virginia to Elizabeth City, North Carolina, the Swamp is now a National Wildlife Refuge home to Bald cypress, black bears, otters, and over 200 species of birds, among many other critters. But in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, it was the home to the ambitions of planters and businessmen who sought to transform the swamp into a plantation enterprise of rice, timber, and other commodities. It was also home to the enslaved individuals who labored to make those dreams a reality. 2020-11-1952 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library2020 George Washington Symposium AnnouncementElections that Shaped the American Presidency To learn more and to register, please visit: www.mountvernon.org/gwsymposium As our nation approaches its next presidential election, the 2020 George Washington Symposium focuses on several pivotal contests throughout American history that shaped and defined the election process and the American Presidency. Each day at noon during the week of October 26-30, we will feature a LIVE conversation with an eminent scholar to explore elections during Washington’s lifetime and key elections that followed, including those from the Civil War era, the depths of the Great Depression, and th...2020-10-1901 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library178. Digitally Interning at the Washington Library with Jamie MorrisThe Washington Library's Center for Digital History often collaborates with students to advance its research and public history projects. That can take many forms. We work regularly with faculty to integrate our digital projects into their course assignments, on other occasions we deliver lectures to students about digital history or some aspect of eighteenth-century history, and we’re also fortunate to work with student interns throughout the year who assist with our projects while they gain practical, real world experience in the historical profession. On today’s episode, we’re excited to bring you a chat with Jamie M...2020-10-0131 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library173. Tracing the History of the Syphax Family with Steve Hammond and Brenda ParkerThe Syphax Family has deep historic ties to Mount Vernon and other sites of enslavement in Virginia. In 1821, Charles Syphax, an enslaved man at Arlington House in Northern Virginia, married Maria Carter, the daughter of a woman enslaved at Mount Vernon. Charles was the inherited property of George Washington Parke Custis, Martha Washington’s grandson. And there is very strong evidence that the woman that Charles married, Maria, was Custis’s daughter. On today’s episode, you’ll learn more about the fascinating history of the Syphax Family and its connections to Mount Vernon from Steve Ha...2020-08-271h 05
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library171. Reinterpreting Mary Ball Washington with Karin Wulf, Martha Saxton, Craig Shirley, and Charlene Boyer LewisOn today's show, we bring you the audio from our annual Martha Washington Lecture. This year's topic was Mary Ball Washington, George's mother, and the recent work by historians to rethink what we know about her life. Dr. Karin Wulf, executive director of the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, served as our guest moderator for this event. She was joined on the virtual stage by Martha Saxon, a 2020 George Washington Book Prize Finalist for her work, The Widow Washington: The Life of Mary Washington (2019); Craig Shirley, author of Mary Ball Washington: The Untold Story of George W...2020-08-131h 10
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library167. Reconstructing the Indian World of George Washington with Colin CallowayWeek 3 of our summer hiatus is another opportunity to bring you a fascinating look at early America courtesy of some of our recent live stream programming. On today’s show, we bring you Library Executive Director Kevin Butterfield’s conversation with 2019 George Washington Book Prize winner, Dr. Colin Calloway. Calloway is 1943 Professor of History and Professor of Native American Studies at Dartmouth University. He won last year’s Book prize for his latest work, The Indian World of George Washington: The First President, the First Peoples, and the Birth of the Nation. It’s the definiti...2020-07-161h 10
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library163. Returning to Lives Bound Together on Juneteenth with Jessie MacLeodThis Friday marks the anniversary of Juneteenth, the holiday that commemorates the moment on June 19, 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned they were freed by Emancipation Proclamation and the Confederacy’s defeat in the Civil War. It is also known as Freedom Day or Liberation Day. To celebrate, Brenda Parker, Mount Vernon Character Interpreter & African American Interpretation & Special Projects Coordinator, will perform Freedom Skies, a special Live Stream event on Juneteenth focused on the experiences of four individuals at Mount Vernon on Manumission Day—January 1, 1801—when Martha Washington freed the late George Washington’s enslaved people. You...2020-06-1852 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library162. Ending Washington's Life with Jonathan HornIn March 1797, newly-inaugurated president John Adams thought he detected a glint of joy in George Washington’s eyes as the aging Virginian stepped off the world stage. Adams told his wife Abigail it was as if Washington was thinking, “I am fairly out and you fairly in! see which of Us will be happiest.” The first president had grown tired of the partisan rancor that plagued his second term and longed to sit under his own vine and fig tree at Mount Vernon in peace. But Washington’s vision of a tranquil retirement was not to be. In the l...2020-06-1147 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library156. Making a Pilgrimage to Washington's Tomb with Matthew CostelloIn December 1799, George Washington died after a short illness. His body and his legacy quickly became fodder for nineteenth century Americans – free and enslaved – who were struggling to make sense of what it meant to be an American as well as the nation’s identity. Americans across the divide used Washington and his memory to advance various political and economic interests. Some, like Federalists, yoked their political fortunes and their belief in a strong central government to Washington’s legacy, much to the abhorrence of Jeffersonian Republicans, who championed the yeoman farmer and a smaller federal...2020-04-3055 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library152. Creating George Washington's Cabinet with Lindsay ChervinskyThere are many things that we take for granted in the modern United States. The president’s cabinet is one of them. Although the cabinet is a prominent fixture of the federal government, and a powerful and essential one at that, it has no foundation in the Constitution. The Framer’s discussed the idea of a cabinet at the Constitutional Convention, but they ultimately rejected it and left it on the cutting room floor. Yet, despite the fact that the cabinet has no Constitutional origin, it does have a historical one. On today’s epis...2020-04-0250 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library150. Teaching Online in a Time of Covid-19 with Sadie TroyIt's mid-March 2020 and chances are you're listening to this episode from the comfort of your home as you practice social distancing. Over the past few weeks many schools and businesses has suspended public operations and transitioned to an online environment in an effort to help limit the spread of the coronavirus, known as Covid-19. While the Washington Library and Mount Vernon may temporarily be closed to the public as well, that doesn't mean we're not hard at work doing what we can to help students, teachers, and scholars make the most of this uncertain time. We've created a...2020-03-1941 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library146. Doing Public History at Mount Vernon with Jeanette PatrickLike many folks around the country, you might have spent the last three evenings watching Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Washington documentary series on the History Channel. Documentaries are a form of public history, which we might define loosely as making historical knowledge available and accessible for the public’s benefit. At Mount Vernon, we think about how to do this work a great deal. How can we create frameworks for public understanding of the past that balances expertise with accessibility? On today’s episode, Jeanette Patrick discusses her efforts to make the Washingtons, Mount...2020-02-2035 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library144. Sizing Up the Thigh Men of Dad History with Alexis CoeThe modern biography as we know it dates to the eighteenth century when Scottish author and lawyer James Boswell published The Life of Samuel Johnson. Boswell produced an account of the rascally Englishman, a friend of his for more than twenty years, that became a kind of template that future biographers have followed. We've all read our fair share of biographies, especially presidential biographies, to know that they follow a similar structure. This is especially true of biographies of the American Revolutionary generation. So how can we shake up this genre? And perhaps more importantly...2020-02-0655 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library142. Plotting against General Washington with Mark Edward LenderIn late 1777, George Washington’s disappointing performance as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army was a source of growing concern among some army officers and members of Congress. While he had won important victories at Princeton and Trenton months earlier, he had lost New York City, and Philadelphia, and suffered defeats at Brandywine and Germantown. Patriots intended to win the war, not lose it. And to win it, some came to believe that Washington ought to be removed from power, or at least his authority weakened. On today’s episode, Dr. Mark Edward Lender joins Jim Ambuske to discu...2020-01-2356 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library139. Harnessing the Power of Washington's Genealogy with Karin WulfEarly Americans like George Washington obsessed over genealogy. Much was at stake. One's place on the family tree could mean the difference between inheriting a plantation like Mount Vernon and its enslaved community, or working a patch of hardscrabble. Genealogy was very much a matter of custom, culture, and law, which explains in part why Washington composed a long-ignored document tracing his own lineage. It was as much a reflection of his family's past as it was a road map to his future power, wealth, and authority. On today's episode, Dr. Karin Wulf helps us understand the...2020-01-0248 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library126. Entering a World of Paine with Harlow Giles UngerOn today’s show, veteran journalist and biographer Harlow Giles Unger talks to Jim Ambuske about revolutionary radical Thomas Paine, one of his predecessors in the newspaper business. He is the author of the new book, Thomas Paine and the Clarion Call for American Independence. It is the latest in a long line of Unger biographies about the founding generation. Unger reveals a fascinating character in Paine, a man who never met a revolution he didn’t like. He also shares with Ambuske about how his previous life as a journalist informs his appr...2019-10-0351 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library121. Interpreting George Washington's Constitution with Lindsay Chervinsky: Explorations in Early American Law Part 3In the fall of 1789, George Washington ordered a printed copy of the Constitution along with the laws passed by the First Federal Congress. A book binder bound the printed sheets in leather and added the words "President of the United States" to the front cover. Washington referred to the volume as the "Acts of Congress." Inside, he made a few short marginal notations next to key passages in the Constitution. You can see a digitized version of the Acts of Congress here. Why did Washington write in this book? And what can his brief scribbles tell us...2019-08-2959 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library120. Meeting Alexander Hamilton, Attorney at Law, with Kate Brown: Explorations in Early American Law Part 2We all know Alexander Hamilton for his service during the Revolutionary War, his tenure as the first Secretary of the Treasury, and his death at the hands of Aaron Burr. But have you met Alexander Hamilton, Attorney at Law? In Part 2 of our four-part exploration of early American law, Dr. Kate Elizabeth Brown of Western Kentucky University introduces us to a man who was as ferocious in the court room as he was battling Thomas Jefferson over the National Bank. And as Dr. Brown argues in her book, Alexander Hamilton and the Development of American Law, you can't separate...2019-08-2248 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library118. Finding George Washington in Scotland with Rachel HoskerHow did a George Washington letter find a home Scotland? In this episode of Conversations at the Washington Library, Jim Ambuske talks with Rachel Hosker, deputy head of special collections and archives manager at the University Edinburgh Library about a document that connects Washington to Adam Ferguson, one of the major figures of the Scottish Enlightenment. Recorded in Edinburgh at the library's Centre for Research Collections, Ambuske and Hosker also look over Washington's Political Legacies, a book published in New York in the months just after Washington's death. They also discuss Hosker's early fascination with manuscripts and rare books...2019-08-0839 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library115. The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret with Mary Thompson: Part 2In this episode, Dr. Jim Ambuske continues his conversation with the Washington Library's Research Historian Mary V. Thompson to discuss her new book, "The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret": George Washington, Slavery, and the Enslaved Community at Mount Vernon. Listen to Part 1 here. About Our Guest: Mary V. Thompson is a long-time (38 year) member of the staff at Mount Vernon, where she is now the Research Historian. She is the author of In the Hands of a Good Providence: Religion in the Life of George Washington, A Short Biography of Martha Washington, and "The Only Una...2019-07-1140 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library114. The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret with Mary Thompson: Part 1In this episode Dr Jim Ambuske sits down with the Washington Librarys Research Historian Mary V Thompson to discuss her new book The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret George Washington Slavery and the Enslaved Community at Mount Vernon. About Our Guest: Mary V. Thompson is a long-time (38 year) member of the staff at Mount Vernon, where she is now the Research Historian. She is the author of In the Hands of a Good Providence: Religion in the Life of George Washington, A Short Biography of Martha Washington, and "The Only Unavoidable Subject of Reg...2019-07-0430 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library111. Aboard the USS George Washington In this episode Dr Douglas Bradburn sits down with Captain Glenn Jamison Captain Daryle D Cardone and Command Master Chief Maurice Coffey of the USS George Washington on location at the aircraft carrier.2019-06-1325 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library98. Listener Questions!In this episode, Anthony King sits down with Dr. Joe Stoltz, Co-Director of the George Washington Leadership Institute at Mount Vernon, and Dr. Dana Stefanelli, Assistant Editor for the Papers of George Washington Project for to answer submitted listener questions about George Washington, the Revolutionary War, and the founding era. For more information check out our website at www.mountvernon.org/podcast.2019-03-1431 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library95. A Toast To George WashingtonIn this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down again with Steve Bashore, the Director of Historic Trades at George Washington's Mount Vernon, to further discuss the whiskey production on-site. For more information check out our website at www.mountvernon.org/podcast.2019-02-2134 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library92. Researching at the Washington LibraryIn this episode, Anthony King sits down with Samantha Snyder, Access Services Librarian at the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington at Mount Vernon, to discuss the research operations at the Library as well how people can visit for their own research purposes. For more information check out our website at www.mountvernon.org/podcast.2019-01-3126 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library91. Don't Just Lead, RevolutionizeIn this episode, Anthony King sits down with Dr. Joe Stoltz, Co-Director of the George Washington Leadership Institute at Mount Vernon, to discuss leadership-based programs on-site. For more information check out our website at www.mountvernon.org/podcast.2019-01-2434 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library90. Growing Up At Mount VernonIn this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Cassandra Good, former Library research fellow and Assistant Professor of History at Marymount University, to discuss her latest research on George Washington's step-grandchildren and their lives at Mount Vernon. For more information check out our website at www.mountvernon.org/podcast.2019-01-1733 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library88. Funding Mount VernonIn this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Joe Bondi, the Senior Vice President of Development at George Washington's Mount Vernon. The two discuss the challenges and processes behind fundraising for the various projects that keep Mount Vernon running. For more information check out our website at www.mountvernon.org/podcast.2019-01-0335 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library87. Lives Bound TogetherIn this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Jessie MacLeod, Associate Curator here at George Washington's Mount Vernon. The two discuss the behind-the-scenes details that went into creating the acclaimed exhibition, Lives Bound Together: Slavery at George Washington's Mount Vernon. For more information check out our website at www.mountvernon.org/podcast.2018-12-2738 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library82. Thanks-GivingIn this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Anthony King, Library Projects Assistant at George Washington's Mount Vernon and co-producer/sound engineer of the Conversations at the Washington Library Podcast. The two reflect on the previous year recording the podcast since they took administrative and creative control over the series. From all of us here at Mount Vernon, have a happy Thanksgiving! For more information check out our website at www.mountvernon.org/podcast. 2018-11-2226 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library76. 'A Deserving Brother': George Washington And FreemasonryIn this episode, Dr. Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with Washington Library research fellow Mark Tabbert to discuss his latest research regarding George Washington and his membership in/relationship with Freemasonry. For more information check out our website www.mountvernon.org/podcast.2018-10-1130 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library75. Happy Birthday Washington Library!In this episode, to celebrate the five-year anniversary of the opening of the Washington Library, current Executive Director Dr. Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with Dr. Douglas Bradburn, the former Founding Director of the Library and now President and C.E.O. of George Washington's Mount Vernon. The two discuss the highlights of the Library's history, the important events and acquisitions, as well as the future of the facility. For more information check out our website at www.mountvernon.org/podcast.2018-10-0439 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library74. Rain Makes Corn, George Makes Whiskey!In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Steve Bashore, the Director of Historic Trades at George Washington's Mount Vernon. The two discuss the history and operations at the Distillery & Gristmill, including the popular line of whiskey products produced on-site. For more information check out our website at www.mountvernon.org/podcast.2018-09-2733 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library69. The Lakota Values and George WashingtonIn this episode, Mount Vernon's Vice President of Education Allison Wickens sits down with Valerie Shull, a 23-year veteran teacher of the Douglas School District in Box Elder, South Dakota and current Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings educator for the Rapid City Area Schools in Rapid City, South Dakota. In their conversation, they discuss Shull's time at Mount Vernon as a teacher fellow as well as her main research project, connecting the Lakota Values with George Washington. For more information check out our website at www.mountvernon.org/podcast.2018-08-2335 min
Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library65. George Washington: Master FarmerIn this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Sam Murphy, Manager of Historic Trades at George Washington's Mount Vernon. For more information check out our website at www.mountvernon.org/podcast.2018-07-2630 min