Enslaved Labor

Both enslaved men and women served as cooks at Mount Vernon and much was expected of them every day. 

In 1799, more than 50 enslaved men and women were trained in specific trades that kept parts of Mount Vernon’s operation self-sufficient.

Under the supervision of overseers, field hands toiled from sunrise to sunset. They planted and harvested crops including tobacco, wheat, corn, vegetables, and grasses.

George Washington expected his workforce to get as much done as possible every day, which could mean 14-hour days in the summer.

At the time of George Washington’s death, the Mount Vernon estate’s enslaved population consisted of 317 people. These silhouettes are meant to represent people in bondage at George Washington's Mount Vernon. The designs were based on physical descriptions, age, gender, clothing, and work assignment.