The Slave Memorial (Mount Vernon, Virginia)
Dublin Core
Title
The Slave Memorial (Mount Vernon, Virginia)
Subject
Subject (Topic)
Cemeteries--Virginia
Enslaved persons
George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Plantations--Virginia
Slavery--Virginia
Subject (Object)
Commemorative sculpture
Cemeteries--Virginia
Enslaved persons
George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Plantations--Virginia
Slavery--Virginia
Subject (Object)
Commemorative sculpture
Description
Near the Mount Vernon cemetery for enslaved persons, the memorial consists of three concentric circles acting as steps that are inscribed with the words: “Faith,” “Hope” and “Love.” The steps lead toward the central, gray granite column, which is truncated to suggest “life unfinished.” Inscribed on the surface of the column: “In memory of the Afro Americans who served as slaves at Mount Vernon this monument marking their burial ground.” The commemorative work is located 50 yards southwest of George and Mary Washington’s tomb.
Creator
Howard University Architecture Students
Source
Photograph: Tim Evanson, Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Date
September 21, 1983
Contributor
Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association (MVLA); Black Women United for Action
Rights
Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway Mount Vernon, Virginia, 22121, United States
Format
JPEG
Language
English
Type
Visual Arts-Sculpture
Coverage
3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway Mount Vernon, Virginia, 22121, United States
Has Part
Inscription on the monument:
In memory of the Afro Americans who served as slaves at Mount Vernon. This monument marking their burial ground dedicated September 21, 1983, Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association
Inscription on plaque near memorial entrance:
Slave Memorial
In 1929, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association placed a marker noting the location of the slave cemetery, believed to be the first commemoration of its kind at a historic site. Despite this recognition, the burial ground lay unattended for decades, until a group of citizens began a concerted effort to honor the enslaved people buried here. In 1983, Mount Vernon dedicated a new memorial, which was designed by architecture students at Howard University. It is a lasting tribute to the memory of those individuals who lived and toiled in bondage here.
Approaching Slave Memorial
Quiet please and remain on gravel path
Inscription on Slave Burial Area plaque:
Slave Burial Area
“Near (George Washington’s) tomb you see the burying place of his slaves containing 150 graves.” Visitor to Mount Vernon 1833 Many African American—free and enslaved—who worked at Mount Vernon from the 1750s into the 19th century are believed to be buried near here, according to early visitor accounts, oral tradition and a circa 1860 map. Among them is William Lee, George Washington’s personal servant during the Revolutionary War, who was granted freedom and an annuity in Washington’s will. West Ford (1784-1863), a freed slave was hired by the Washington family in the 19th century, is also thought to be buried here. The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association sought Ford’s advice in the early restoration of the estate. Today, a memorial stands at the center of the burial area, serving as a testament to the hundreds of slaves who labored on Mount Vernon’s grounds and lay in unmarked graves.
1929 Marker
In memory of the many faithful, colored servants of the Washington family buried at Mount Vernon from 1760 to 1860. Their unidentified graves surround this spot.
In memory of the Afro Americans who served as slaves at Mount Vernon. This monument marking their burial ground dedicated September 21, 1983, Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association
Inscription on plaque near memorial entrance:
Slave Memorial
In 1929, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association placed a marker noting the location of the slave cemetery, believed to be the first commemoration of its kind at a historic site. Despite this recognition, the burial ground lay unattended for decades, until a group of citizens began a concerted effort to honor the enslaved people buried here. In 1983, Mount Vernon dedicated a new memorial, which was designed by architecture students at Howard University. It is a lasting tribute to the memory of those individuals who lived and toiled in bondage here.
Approaching Slave Memorial
Quiet please and remain on gravel path
Inscription on Slave Burial Area plaque:
Slave Burial Area
“Near (George Washington’s) tomb you see the burying place of his slaves containing 150 graves.” Visitor to Mount Vernon 1833 Many African American—free and enslaved—who worked at Mount Vernon from the 1750s into the 19th century are believed to be buried near here, according to early visitor accounts, oral tradition and a circa 1860 map. Among them is William Lee, George Washington’s personal servant during the Revolutionary War, who was granted freedom and an annuity in Washington’s will. West Ford (1784-1863), a freed slave was hired by the Washington family in the 19th century, is also thought to be buried here. The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association sought Ford’s advice in the early restoration of the estate. Today, a memorial stands at the center of the burial area, serving as a testament to the hundreds of slaves who labored on Mount Vernon’s grounds and lay in unmarked graves.
1929 Marker
In memory of the many faithful, colored servants of the Washington family buried at Mount Vernon from 1760 to 1860. Their unidentified graves surround this spot.
Medium
Granite
Bibliographic Citation
George Washington’s Mount Vernon. “The Slave Memorial.” Accessed October 9, 2024. https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/slavery/the-slave-memorial-at-mount-vernon.
Rights Holder
Renée Ater
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
Sculpture
Citation
Howard University Architecture Students, “The Slave Memorial (Mount Vernon, Virginia),” Contemporary Monuments to the Slave Past, accessed October 1, 2026, https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1262.