Earlier this year there were numerous articles about George Washington's house in Philadelphia and the recent excavations linking the passage from the house to his slave quarters. The excavations launched a lively debate about Washington and his views on slavery as well as slavery in America. Washington supposedly soured on the idea of slavery in his final years and did in fact free them. Unfortunately he did not feel strong enough about the disgusting practice to take a stand while he was alive and waiting until after his death. He also did nothing about Martha Washington's slaves who remained after his death, which is not exactly the profile in courage that we like to think of with one of our founding fathers though it is the painful reality.
Much like the ongoing debate in Philadelphia, there is a fresh new examination under way at Mount Vernon as well. It may not be the glorified and sugary Washington that we heard about in grade school, but this debate is exactly what makes history interesting. History is always evolving and debating an important issue such as slavery and its lasting impact on America is healthy for all of us. Considering the pedestal that our current president was put on just a few years ago - and the trouble that presented for the country and the world - debates such as this can only help. Read on...
