Pride and Prejudice: The Historic Interpretation of Slavery at the Homes of Five Founding Fathers

This study surveys the historic interpretations of slavery at the homes of the first five presidents. Grounded in Eichstedt and Small's (2002) previous work on the representation of slavery at plantation museums, this study considers whether the interpretations at Mount Vernon, Peace field, Monticello, Montpelier, and Ash-Lawn Highland promote a false nostalgia for the American Founding Era. Through participant observation, the average visitor experience was surveyed at each site in order to consider the information being presented to the public, and there is evidence showing that these sites participate in the promotion and perpetuation of false nostalgia for the American Founding Era. Suggestions and solutions are provided to address this issue in order to create a more inclusive and accurate historical narrative.

Author

• Seymour, Amanda

Language

• en

Keyword

• Founding Fathers
• Museum Interpretation
• Historic House
• Slavery

Date created

• 2013

Type of Work

• Master's Thesis

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Anthropology

Degree

• M.A.

Advisor

• Blomster, Jeffrey P

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/ff3655303