Thy Will Be Done: George Washington and the Legacy of Slavery
Join WashU Libraries and WashU Studying Slavery for a special semiquincentennial event to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. John Garrison Marks will discuss his latest book Thy Will Be Done: George Washington's Legacy of Slavery and the Fight for American Memory.
The event will also include afterhours access to view two original printed Declarations of Independence, and a showcase of rare materials related to the founding of the United States of America.
How should we remember George Washington’s entanglement in slavery? Americans have argued over that question for nearly 250 years. More than any other Founding Father, Washington’s ties to slavery have vexed us. He enslaved more people than any of his fellow founders, yet he was the only one of them to emancipate the people he held in bondage. Since his death, Americans have grappled with this contradiction, shaping and reshaping our collective memory of Washington and slavery—along with our understanding of the nation.
Free and open to all, registration required for Zoom link