See the Arc of Citizenship— From 18th Century Slavery through the Jim Crow Era—at Montpelier
From 1723 to 1844, during the Madison family's ownership, hundreds of African and African-American slaves supported the Montpelier plantation and made it thrive economically. Five, six, and possibly seven generations of African Americans were born into slavery at Montpelier.
Understanding daily life at Montpelier during the 18th and early 19th centuries must include an understanding of the contributions and sacrifices of the enslaved community who were an integral and intimate part of Montpelier life. Slave ownership was a way of life for the southern planter elite, of which the Madison family was a part, which became an uneasy inheritance for James Madison. Despite his concerns, however, the institution remained well entrenched until the end of the Civil War. MORE»
The Arc of Citizenship
See how the Constitution changed in relation to the history of African-American people from slavery to freedom and beyond.