Thomas Jefferson and Slavery
Explore Jefferson's role as a slave owner and the realities of slavery that made the United States.
People Enslaved at Monticello
Learn more about some of the people who lived and worked at Monticello.
Life on the Monticello Plantation
Monticello was a 5,000-acre working plantation where over 400 enslaved individuals lived and worked during Jefferson's lifetime.
Slavery FAQS
Frequently asked questions about People, Property, Life and Work under Slavery at Monticello.
Online Exhibitions Related to Slavery
Slavery in our Monticello Mobile Guide
Our mobile guide now works in your browsers, phone or desktop! Explore before, during and after your visit.
The Life of Sally Hemings
Daughter, mother, sister, aunt. Concubine. Negotiator. Liberator. Mystery.
1827 Slave Auction at Monticello
Following Jefferson's death in 1826, 130 enslaved individuals were offered for sale at Monticello to help settle his enormous debts.
The Life of James Hemings, an Enslaved Master Chef
French-trained Chef. International Traveler. Negotiator. Teacher. Freed Man.
Getting Word: African American Families of Monticello
Hear the stories of the descendants of Monticello's plantation community and trace their families from slavery to the present day.
Videos related to Slavery at Monticello
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"Some visitors think we're trying to knock Jefferson off his pedestal" - A Guide's Perspective
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Overseers and Violence
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"The whole machine would move in exact equilibria" - Jefferson Seeks to Perfect the Wheat Harvest
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An Enslaved Mother Leaves Monticello
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A Fight in Monticello's Nailery
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Mary Hemings Bell, an enslaved "common-law wife"
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Ursula Granger, an Enslaved Cook Prepares Food on the Hearth
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James Hemings, an Enslaved Chef Creating French Cuisine
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Picturing Mulberry Row - Understanding slavery at Monticello through this critical component of the greater plantation.
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The Life of Nancy Hemings - a Monticello Weaver
Interpreting Slavery at Monticello
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A look at the Getting Word African American Oral History Project, a decades-long initiative to collect and share the stories of Monticello’s enslaved community and their descendants.
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Veteran first-person Thomas Jefferson interpreter discusses the challenges of talking about slavery “in character,” how the interpretation of slavery and race has changed during his long career, and how current events impact his work. June 16, 2020
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Monticello LIVE with with Niya Bates, Gayle Jessup White, and Brandon Dillard, June 17, 2020