Episode 5: Resisting

Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount Vernon

Episode 5: “Resisting”

In May 1796, Ona Judge self-emancipated by fleeing from President George Washington’s Philadelphia home. Her escape was just one example of the many ways that Mount Vernon’s enslaved community resisted their bondage. Some acts were subtle and easy to miss, others were much more dramatic, regardless the threat of punishment was ever present. In this episode, we follow Judge’s flight to freedom, and explore the stories of Hercules Posey and Harry Washington, to examine how enslaved people defied George and Martha Washington’s authority.

Featuring:

• Jessie MacLeod, Associate Curator, George Washington’s Mount Vernon
• Dr. Marcus Nevius, Associate Professor of History and African Studies, University of Rhode Island
• Mary V. Thompson, Research Historian, Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington
• Dr. Cassandra Pybus, Professor of History Emerita, The University of Sydney
• Ramin Ganeshram, Executive Director, Westport Museum for History and Culture

Full transcripts, show notes, and bibliographies available at www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com.