Rebuilt slave sites being unveiled at Jefferson's Monticello

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By BRETT ZONGKER

The first log slave quarters with dirt floors to be rebuilt at Thomas Jefferson's home were formally unveiled Saturday at Monticello, and descendants of more than 100 slaves from the third president's plantation marked the occasion in Virginia.

Re-creating structures to represent slave life at the home of the author of the Declaration of Independence is part of a larger restoration effort underway to show a fuller history at Monticello. In addition, nine rooms on the upper floors of the mansion that were previously empty have now been furnished to give visitors a deeper look at Jefferson's family and what life was like in 1809.

The project was launched two years ago with a $10 million gift from Washington philanthropist David Rubenstein. On Friday night, Rubenstein announced a second $10 million gift to continue the work of restoring slave sites along the plantation's Mulberry Row and refreshing some of the iconic rooms in Jefferson's home.

Monticello is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only U.S. president's home on that list of cultural treasurers.

FULL story at link.



FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2014 file photo, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello home is seen in Charlottesville, Va. The first part of a restoration project that was launched two years ago with a $10 million gift from Washington philanthropist David Rubenstein will be unveiled Saturday. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/3a3da24995494217b11ab994776429de/rebuilt-slave-sites-being-unveiled-jeffersons-monticello

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We can not forgot the slavery period of US history just link we can't forget the holocaust!

[NYC_SKP]

1. Excellent! To their credit, the slave quarters have always been identified, and...

... new discoveries are being made on an almost ongoing basis.

It's an active archaeological site.



http://www.monticello.org/site/blog-and-community/posts/new-discovery-mulberry-row-slightly-wonkish

[SamKnause]

2. Money well spent.

A sad barbaric part of the history of the United States that should

never be forgotten !!!

[zentrum]

3. About time.

First baby step towards truth and reconciliation panels for America? Now, they need to start telling the truth in classrooms as well. Washington was also a slave holder—richest man in America at the time who owned many slaves.

[jwirr]

4. I am glad they are doing this. One thing though - they point out the dirt floors - but dirt floors

were not unusual back then. Many of the pioneers had dirt floors. I would think the size of the houses would be one of the differences between the slave and the pioneer. The brick floor is interesting.

[jtuck004]

7. The point is that dirt floors were a lot more usual among people who were slaves as opposed to

people who owned slaves.

[jwirr]

9. Of course. I was just pointing out that I don't think my whte ancestors would have seen that as bad.

The contrast between the big house and the slave quarters is going to be huge and telling. Just think about a thing as simple as cooking space. Big kitchen with a lot of equipment and a fire pit outdoors with equipment thrown away by the big house. A bedroom in the big house with a feather bed mattress and sleeping on the dirt floor.

I am glad they are going to restore this because I have seen all too many pictures in textbooks for children that look like it was all soooooooo nice.

[LeftInTX]

12. My husband had an uncle who lived in a dirt floor house in San Antonio

The dirt was somehow packed so it wasn't flying all over the place.

(Just a tidbit to throw in - I know it's kinda OT)

[jwirr]

13. My dad's uncle lived in a sod hut in SW MN. He did not tell us much about it.

[Human101948]

5. That they were slaves was glossed over by tour guides when I visited a few years ago...

There was an amazing amount of talk about all the many things that Jefferson that were innovative. But the fact that it was the slaves who did all the heavy lifting was barely mentioned. It will be more difficult to do that now.

[Faygo Kid]

6. This is great. Haven't been to Monticello in nearly 30 years.

Would like to go back one more time, for sure.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Fantastic!!!!

The white-washing of American history must end. Here in Philly, after a lot of effort, activists and historians were able to include an exhibit that was inclusive of the real history of George Washington, which included the slaves who tended his family in his mansion near Independence Hall. And as a note, once slavery was abolished in PA, yet he still lived here as President before the White House was completed, he managed to evade the law by leaving PA and traveling every 60 days down to Virginia, dragging his slaves with him. Then he would return and drag them back up here.

When they were preparing to re-do the "Independence Mall" area across the street from Independence Hall (to build a new home for the Liberty Bell), as standard practice, the archeologists were brought in to survey the construction site and debris, and they not only discovered the foundation for Washington's house, but the slave quarters and passageway that the slaves used to service the family. A portion of the excavation was eventually made a part of the display.

[ileus]

10. We visited last year....

[Sunlei]

11. That hut was 'The Ritz' of slave 'quarters'

[unc70]

14. For a forgotten history, check out northern slavery

Slavery is a very complex part of our history. Most is whitewashed everywhere. Check out http://www.slavenorth.com for some astonishing aspects of slavery few people know.

[McKim]

15. FROM RECOGNITION TO REPARATIONS! GO FOR IT, AMERICA!

It is past time for descendents of slaves to get monetary reparations. African Americans remain poor, they started with very little and have not had much of a hand up. They missed out on the Homesteading, GI Benefits, Loans, Schooling and Everything. Let's do this thing. America and give them a fair share of what they should have earned from working and building this country.