#2.2 Can tourism help us understand the history of slavery in the United States?

The Better Travel Podcast

This week, we hear from experts at the Whitney Plantation and Monticello -- two tourist sites that are at the frontlines of contemporary discussions about the experiences of enslaved people and the role of slavery in the United States.

Dr. Joy Banner, Director of Communications at the Whitney Plantation in Louisiana, describes how the site has created a visitor experience that centers the lives of the enslaved people who lived on the plantation.

Justin Bates, a historical interpreter at Thomas Jefferson’s home of Monticello, shares how he and his colleagues teach guests about the contradictions of Jefferson’s life: that he was both the drafter of the Declaration of Independence and a lifelong slave owner who espoused racist views.

We hope this episode gives you some good food for thought, and we would love to hear your reactions. You can reach out by sending us a voice message or saying hello on social media.

Thank you so much for listening!

Resources

The Whitney Plantation website

“Building the first slavery museum in America,” The New York Times Magazine, Feb. 2015 (unlocked link)

Monticello website

The book that inspired this episode: How the Word is Passed: A reckoning with the history of slavery across America, by Clint Smith