George Washington’s Complex Views on Slavery
Mount VernonTimeline and Resources George Washington and Slavery
This timeline shows key events, correspondence, and details that highlight George Washington's relationship with slavery. The timeline accommodates the lesson plan, George Washington's Complex Views on Slavery.
Explore the Timeline1743
George Washington, age 11, inherits 10 enslaved individuals in his father’s will.I give unto my son George Washington and his heirs the land I now live on which I purchased of the Executrix of Mr. William Strother, deceased, and one moiety of my land lying on Deep Run and ten Negro slaves.”
Washington Farms
Washington rents and begins farming Mount Vernon with a workforce of about 36 enslaved individuals.
Washington Marries Martha Dandridge Custis
Washington marries Martha Dandridge Custis in January. In April, Martha arrives at Mount Vernon in April with 20 “dower slaves" inherited from a pervious marriage.
1761
Washington's ad in the Maryland Gazette to recapture four runaway slavesRan away from a Plantation of the Subscriber’s, on Dogue Run in Fairfax, on Sunday the 9th Instant, the following Negroes… Whoever apprehends the said Negroes, so that the Subscriber may readily get them, shall have, if taken up in this County, Forty Shillings Reward, beside what the Law allows; and if at any greater Distance, or out of the Colony, a proportionable Recompence paid them. By George Washington.”
Washington Purchases "Billy" Lee
Washington purchases William “Billy” Lee from Mary Lee, a wealthy Virginian for £61.15s. William Lee will become Washington’s personal valet.
Washington writes to lifelong friend, Lord Bryan Fairfax, regarding the imminent military conflict with BritainThe Crisis is arrivd when we [Colonists] must assert our Rights, or Submit to every Imposition that can be heap’d upon us; till custom and use, will make us as tame, & abject Slaves, as the Blacks we Rule over with such arbitrary Sway.”
1775
Washington Becomes Commander-in-Chief
Washington is elected unanimously and appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Army by the Second Continental Congress on June 15 and June 17, 1775 respectively. William Lee will attend Washington throughout the war.
General Washington’s War Council[The War Council]... unanimously to reject all slaves, & by a great Majority to reject Negroes altogether” from enlisting or reenlisting in the Revolutionary Army.”
Lord Dunmore Issues His Proclamation
Lord Dunmore, Governor of the Royal Virginia Colony issues a proclamation encouraging indentured servants and the enslaved to join the British Army. His statement reads:
“And I do hereby farther declare all indented servants, Negroes, or others (appertaining to rebels) free, that are able and willing to bear arms, they joining his Majesty’s troops, as soon as may be, for the more speedily reducing this Colony to a proper sense of their duty, to his Majesty’s crown and dignity.”
Freed Slaves Fight in Washington's Army
Washington decides to allow freed slaves to enlist in the Revolutionary Army. He writes:
“It has been represented to me, that the free Negroes who have served in this Army, are very much disatisfied [sic] at being discarded. As it is to be apprehended that they may seek employ in the Ministerial Army, I have presumed to depart from the Resolution respecting them and have given license for their being enlisted, If [sic] this is disapproved by Congress I shall put a stop to it…."
However, the enslaved remained forbidden from joining.
1778
Washington writes to his cousin, Lund.…If Negroes could be given in Exchange for this Land of Marshalls [sic], or sold at a proportionable [sic] price, I should prefer it to the Sale of Morris[’]s Land…Having so fully expressed my Sentiments concerning this manner, I shall only add a word or two respecting Barry’s Land….For this Land also I had rather give Negroes—if Negroes would do. for [sic] to be plain I wish to get quit of Negroes….”
Washington writes again to his cousin, Lund.My scruples arise from a reluctance in offering these people at public vendue, and on account of the uncertainty of timeing the sale well—In the first case, if these poor wretches are to be held in a state of slavery, I do not see that a change of masters will render it more irksome, provided husband & wife, and Parents & children are not separated from each other, which is not my intention to do... And with respect to the second, ...if a sale takes place while the money is in a depreciating state—that is, before it has arrived at the lowest ebb of depreciation; I shall lose the difference—and if it is delayed, ’till some great & important event shall give a decisive turn in favor of our affairs, it may be too late.”
The Virginia General Assembly Allows Manumission.
The Virginia General Assembly enacts legislation to allow the manumission (freeing) of enslaved people. The law allows slaveholders to free their slaves at will, without government approval. The law also orders that anyone freeing their slaves must provide support for those over or under a certain age and that slaves pay the taxes required by the state.
1785
Washington's Refusal
Washington writes to Robert Morris criticizing the antislavery Quaker Society of Friends.[T]here is not a man living who wishes more sincerely than I do, to see a plan adopted for the abolition of [slavery]; but there is only one proper and effectual mode by which it can be accomplished, and that is by Legislative authority…”
Washington Writes to the Marquis de Lafayette
In a letter to the Marquis de Lafayette, Washington expresses pessimism that the American people are ready to embrace emancipation and that petitioning for abolition would pose problems, despite his opinion that it should happen.
His letter reads:
“[Y]our late purchase of an estate in the colony of Cayenne, with a view to emancipating the slaves on it, is a generous and noble proof of your humanity. Would to God a like spirit would diffuse itself generally into the minds of the people of this country; but I despair of seeing it. Some petitions were presented to the Assembly, at its last Session, for the abolition of slavery, but they could scarce obtain a reading. To set them afloat at once would, I really believe, be productive of much inconvenience and mischief; but by degrees it certainly might, and assuredly ought to be effected; and that too by Legislative authority."
1788
Washington writes to the Governor of South Carolina, Charles Pickney.I must say that I lament the decision of your legislature upon the question of importing Slaves after March 1793. I was in hopes that motives of policy, as well as other good reasons supported by the direful effects of Slavery which at this moment are presented, would have operated to produce a total prohibition of the importation of Slaves whenever the question came to be agitated in any State that might be interested in the measure.”
Washington is Inaugurated
Washington is inaugurated in New York City as the first President of the United States. During Washington’s presidency, at least ten enslaved people worked at the president’s houses, first in New York City and later in Philadelphia beginning in November 1790, including: Ona “Oney” Judge, Hercules, Moll, Giles, Austin, Richmond, Paris, Joe, Christopher Sheels, and William Lee.
1791
Washington to Tobias Lear[I]n case it shall be found that any of my Slaves may, or any for them shall attempt their freedom at the expiration of six months, it is my wish and desire that you would send the whole, or such part of them as Mrs. Washington may not chuse [sic] to keep, home—for although I do not think they would be benefitted [sic] by the change, yet the idea of freedom might be too great a temptation for them to resist. At any rate it might, if they conceived they had a right to it, make them insolent in a State of Slavery”
Pennsylvania's Law
Pennsylvania’s 1780 abolition law required that enslaved people would become free after they had lived in the state for six consecutive months. In order to get around this, Washington instructs his personal secretary, Tobias Lear, to return the enslaved people at Philadelphia to Mount Vernon. This practice will continue throughout his presidency.
Washington Passes the Fugitive Slave Act
President Washington signs the federal Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 that strengthened the Fugitive Slave clause of the Constitution (Article IV, Section 2, Clause 3). It authorizes the capture and return of runaway enslaved persons within the states and territories of the United States and set a fine of $500 for anyone who helped or harbored an escaped slave.
1794
Washington signs the Slave Trade Act
President Washington signs the Slave Trade Act of 1794, an early step toward ending the international slave trade that prohibited the transporting of enslaved persons from the United States to any foreign place or country, and made it illegal for American citizens to prepare a ship for purpose of importing enslaved people.
Washington's Desire
Washington begins to express a desire to reduce his responsibilities of running Mount Vernon by leasing land to other farmers. He also reduces the number of enslaved persons he owns because of the increasing cost to care for them.
Washington to Tobias LearBesides these, I have another motive which makes me earnestly wish for the accomplishment of these things, it is indeed more powerful than all the rest. namely [sic] to liberate a certain species of property which I possess, very repugnantly to my own feelings; but which imperious necessity compels…”
Ona Judge Runs
Frederick Kitt, Washington’s steward, places an advertisement in The Philadelphia Gazette & Universal Daily Advertiser announcing the escape of Ona Judge, one of the "dower slaves" belonging to Martha as part of the Custis estate. The ad was placed in other newspapers, including Claypoole’s American Daily Advertiser in Philadelphia, PA on May 27.
The ad read:
“Absconded from the household of the President of the United States, ONEY JUDGE, a light mulatto girl, much freckled, with very black eyes and bushy black hair... there was no suspicion of her going off, nor no provocation to do so..."
However, in an 1845 interview, “Washington’s Runaway Slave,” printed in the Anti-Slavery Bugle in New-Lisbon, Ohio on August 22, 1845, Judge stated two reasons for her escape: “she wanted to be free,” and when she learned that upon Martha’s death, she was to be bequeathed to Martha’s granddaughter, Elizabeth Park Custis Law, as a wedding present, Judge “was determined to never be her slave."
1797
Hercules Runs
Washington’s enslaved cook, Hercules, “abscond[s]” (escapes) Mount Vernon shortly before or during Washington’s 65th birthday.
Washington to his nephew, Lawrence Lewis…I am sorry to hear of the loss of your servant; but it is my opinion these elopements will be MUCH MORE, before they are LESS frequent: and that the persons making them should never be retained, if they are recovered, as they are sure to contaminate and discontent others. I wish from my soul that the legislature of this State could see the policy of a gradual Abolition of Slavery; It would prev[en]t. much future mischief.”
Washington Looks to Replace Hercules
Washington writes to his nephew, George Lewis (Lawrence’s brother), asking help to find a replacement for Hercules, specifically a particular slave that is to be sold.
In the letter, Washington writes:
“The running off of my Cook, has been a most inconvenient thing to this family; and what renders it more disagreeable, is, that I had resolved never to become the master of another Slave by purchase; but this resolution I fear I must break.1… Let me ask you now, to see both Mr Murray (the seller), & the man himself (the cook in question); and if upon conversing fully with the latter, you should be of opinion (from the account he gives of himself) that he is a good Cook, and would answer my purposes, then discover the lowest terms on which he could be had by purchase, or on hire.”
1799
Washington's Will
Washington executes his last will and testament in which he manumits William Lee and makes several other provisions regarding the enslaved that he owns or has legal control over. Washington also provides that upon Martha’s death, the rest of the enslaved that he owns are to be freed, acknowledging that he has no legal right to free the “dower slaves" that belong to the Custis estate (Martha and her heirs). Washington also makes provisions that his heirs are to feed and clothe for the rest of their lives any of his freed slaves that are too old, too infirm, or too young to make a living, and that the younger slaves are to be taught to read and write as well as be taught a valuable trade. Washington is the only slave-owning founding father to make any such provisions in his will.
