While the federal constitution is usually given pride of place in our national narrative, individual state constitutions continue to be the driving force behind our national debates. This exhibition is an invitation to learn how "we the people" are the framers of our constitions.
Ending slavery in America required so much more than official declarations and battlefield victories. Freedom gets built up over time—through a billion tiny, everyday acts. It’s there in the chance to enlist and fight for a cause. It’s there in the effort to reunite families torn apart by the cruelty of slave trading. It’s there […]
Stone on Stone: Sing Sing Stories lets you experience and learn about the extraordinary history of Sing Sing. We’ve curated six digital galleries of historic images, recordings, readings and video for you to explore. Also, for the first time, you can experience the historic 1825 Cellblock as well a 19th century prison cell in 3D.
Slavery is fundamental to the American story. Monticello is simultaneously a place to remember, a place to mourn, and a place to inspire change. How can Monticello’s duality – the pain and beauty of one of America’s best-studied and preserved plantations – advance a national dialogue on race? What is the role of cultural monuments […]
Did the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution give all people the same rights? This might be a children’s story, but there are a lot of interesting questions to consider here - and ways for you to add your voice.
January 1, 2018 marked the 155th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. In celebration, the National Archives Foundation created this fun quiz about the document.
Enslaved men, women, and children not only built Monticello; they and their descendants also helped build the city of Charlottesville. This tour is based largely on the research of Monticello historian Lucia "Cinder" Stanton, and shares the stories of free and enslaved African Americans with ties to Monticello who left a lasting impact on Charlottesville […]
First-person interpretation can help the past come alive, but it can be a heavy responsibility—especially when sharing difficult history. Portraying an enslaved person can be especially challenging, both professionally and personally. Richard M. Josey discusses his years as a first-person interpreter, the lessons he learned, and how he now shares those lessons as a consultant […]
In June 2020, members of The Yale Historical Review (YHR) founded The 1701 Project, an initiative on racial injustice and social change. Although unrelated, we draw inspiration from Nikole Hannah-Jones and her colleagues’ examination of slavery’s legacies in The 1619 Project. The 1701 Project (a nod to the year of Yale’s founding) analyzes our university’s […]
Monticello's Director of African American History Niya Bates discusses the descendants of Monticello's enslaved community and their struggle over generations to make real the promises of the Declaration of Independence.
Linking the beauty and simplicity of the Taps bugle call with the symbolism of the Liberty Memorial Tower, Taps at the Tower is presented each evening at sunset. People are invited to come and use the grounds each evening, have a picnic, play games and enjoy the outdoors. At sunset (8:45 p.m.) from June 20 […]
How could the author of the Declaration of Independence own slaves? How did the Founders’ failure on slavery stunt the American Dream? What are some of the key lessons from the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s? Ed Ayers, Marian Wright Edelman, Annette Gordon-Reed, Deborah McDowell discuss with Peter S. Onuf.