Exploring Freedom & The Legacies of Slavery

On what was once a working plantation, the paradox of slavery stands in stark relief to the ideals of liberty that Jefferson embedded in the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson owned 607 men, women, and children over the course of his lifetime. Archaeologists and historians have spent more than 50 years uncovering their stories and the footprint of plantation life at Monticello. Recent restoration has further revealed the history of slavery on the mountaintop. Explore the stories of remarkable families and individuals — free and enslaved — from over seven generations, through Monticello's tours, exhibitions, digital resources and special events.

Getting Word: African American Families of Monticello

For over 25 years, Getting Word has been preserving the histories of the descendants of Monticello's African American community. Their stories highlight the legacies of freedom and slavery in this country.

Life of Sally Hemings

Daughter, mother, sister, aunt. Concubine. Negotiator. Liberator. Mystery. Learn more in this short, historical overview of her life.

Slavery at Monticello app

Meet the individuals who lived and worked on Mulberry Row, once the industrial hub and center of work and domestic life for dozens of people, free and enslaved, at Thomas Jefferson’s 5,000-acre plantation.

Milestones in the Research and Interpretation of Slavery at Monticello

Follow Monticello’s work on this timeline of important milestones in the research and interpretation on slavery at Monticello since the 1950s.

International Conference: New Approaches in Interpreting and Representing Slavery in Museums and Sites

A two-day conference March 19-20, 2018, in Charlottesville, VA, sponsored by Monticello, the University of Virginia, and the United States Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (US/ICOMOS) in collaboration with the United National Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Slave Route Project: Resistance, Liberty, and Heritage.

Memory, Mourning, Mobilization: Legacies of Slavery and Freedom in America

In 2016, historians, descendants of those enslaved at Monticello, cultural leaders and activists engaged in a far-ranging dialogue on the history of slavery and its meaning in today’s conversations on race, freedom, and equality on the West Lawn of Monticello.

Videos on Slavery at Monticello

James Hemings, Creating French Cuisine at Monticello

The Life of Nance Hemings: An Enslaved Weaver

"Some visitors think we're trying to knock Jefferson off his pedestal" - A Guide's Perspective

"I remember the interior of that cabin" - Finding a Lost Diary

National Initiatives

Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty

A major exhibition on slavery developed in partnership between Monticello and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. Now on view in Dallas, TX. (Coming soon to Detroit, MI, in 2019.)

Jefferson Schools Initiative

Monticello has piloted a program with some of the 300+ schools across the United States that bear Thomas Jefferson’s name, inviting students and teachers to learn more about Jefferson, race, slavery and leadership.