This is an automated transcription. Mount Vernon cannot guarantee the accuracy or quality of the transcription. If you would like to provide a better transcription you can submit one at: http://www.mountvernon.org/video/send-us-your-transcription/ following program is a production of the Fairfax network Fairfax County Public Schools this program was made possible through generous support from the Donald W Reynolds foundation to George Washington's Mount Vernon estate Museum and Gardens hear my story the enslaved community at Mount Vernon is a co-production of the Fairfax network and George Washington's Mount Vernon estate Museum and Gardens please join me in welcoming on guest this evening we join them in the year 1792 General Washington's mansur throughout the revolutionary war and now oversees the shoemaker's shop in the AM main particularly to the presidential home in philadelphia Bob Jennings is with us tomorrow morning to journey to Mount Vernon to be with Mr Jefferson has he calls on general washington and can close to Mr Washington Shields is no I i brought up Christopher in that location at the house just to let you know well I was a young boy we we go to Philadelphia to get out and do it for him the Commission general you travel with him during the war oh yes and hours a day realism for example my body and as our bodies served you tend to his body so you can say that just as well as his wife mrs. washington knows some of the conversations that went into forming the constitution for example my game up 12 as well as I did when you hear about what he just in just a moment could you tell me how often are you with missus Washington how close are you kept under Fred Wilpon how can I just into a mostly learn what it takes to wait to her I'm also handle woman and a seamstress you see missus washington Post the Queen's night captain you see an hour and then have you not well it takes a lot to represent her in that way so I help in that regard and travel with her as well first to New York to Philadelphia with the presidency you feel like you know some of her innermost secrets I will you you can't help it if you are that close to someone you do know them quite well she asked you advice on anything I wouldn't say anything like that but i just as much as well the young was added to the home they're just sometimes proximity world will give you familiarity with someone but you are quite aware of your place and Mr Bob Jennings how close are you with mister jefferson talked about as part of a long time since I seventy-five problem with Philadelphia where he go to shave him to propose horses horses horses if you may understand that not as far as a joke so does he ask your advice and they are many things he bring you into the conversations we must understand that the town so everybody else about the nature of our masters and servants they will give him your opinion on issues of them opinions on the best things I whether using not that has to be discussed and Caroline know you want me vs Washington here in Mount Vernon how well do you say that you would know and I'm not revealing my age now that was quite a lot of course he was with her during the presidency here because I was with child I couldn't go up got five children now that's quite enough but I would say I know well I know her likes and dislikes her temperament or temperament yes Mr Shiels now you are currently the generals man serving his right hand man and how close to what you said that you are with him I was chosen by the channel to be his manservant at the building a retired and I think he chose it because of the Trust said he had built up with me me to Philadelphia see I was bitten by a dog disease that he was afraid I might get I was about maybe thirty diseases and he said me to Philadelphia to get cured and he gave money to pay a doctor and which idea to change back to him so trusting and I felt he trusted week and I believe that led to me now being chosen to be his maidservant now I know every frog is going to praise his only pass a lot from Billy but sometimes we don't see how things here but I still regard him Hartlepool he's done in his lifetime with the general so we know that the American Revolution is the Constitution has been ratified three-fifths of a person being as close to the journalists who work for so many years what is that about this and a man of modern day here's what I see happening from massachusetts rolled down the New York had to cross the river is a lot of folks say in the south cuz if we would take over 20 2012 you were looking to count the number of people a representative would represent in congress which they might lessen the person that's what I have taxation industry fifth civil person I mean how could even come up with you know it's not just to replace the whole horses get counted as a whole so we can be counted as one people I'm not comfortable with this idea three-fifths here and it's not a bad thing is a bit demeaning we've come to understand what it means that it is for representation and taxation and all those sorts of things but just as we understand what it means doesn't mean that have changed I think that it's any more like they are still there still use and manage these men were slaves at the expense of us they advantage makes us less that humans and you can't you can't shake this I soon rightfully so that once the Constitution was ratified in the words of the preamble citizen all men are created equal that you might find your freedom is it might correct in assuming that that's what you thought no it's just understanding with the words mean all men are created equal that that that the fact that I don't think anyone if you don't want to go down for the whole lot about why they should all be a good book said everybody knows that the country is the question question is on human rights now reaching out what do that mean that we well I was told god-given right not something right all right on man can give you is something that's created a natural laws that natural laws I believe creation of God so therefore I believe that I am part of that deal right now is more important to you to be sure to have your freedom separate issues you have to have both an even trade negroes now not treated the same in the eyes of the law as a matter of fact many of the laws that pertain to us as property also pertain to those negroes on the road ozone Indians who are free but you must have an answer for you can come and go if I like if I want to make my way that I can do such amorsote talk and talk to the tree what might you motion what we did we fought a war and we had to be able to around so long to be free be able to walk around with to be able to acquire knowledge so that you can really do you have to understand and have knowledge and understanding things that happened before you before you can understand where you are now so you can understand what you are going to take this moment to introduce our audience we have teachers and students joining us here in a year 1792 from West Springfield High School Northwestern and high school and would like to take any questions that our audience me for gas or whenever you're ready in the meantime heavy rain or tried to get your for you thought about it because you always think about this what you also think about what's gonna happen if you run where you gonna go go go south slavery in great numbers down there the West well indians out there who don't know what they are friendly not friendly they've been given even know any money away so you don't know who to trust so but it's something you always think about you always keep in the back of your mind I did think of it yes when I was about 17 years of age there was a sleep was more a British people who came here to the war and talk to you and I don't know if yall know but the British also to any Negro that escaped and went with them and this this ship came in the captain was captain graves I believe his name was about 16 slaves did run away on that ship that came here to mark brown and I was the lady's maid at the time and I did give it some thought but like you said you don't know who to trust because they like say they'll give you freedom and they could sell off you know for their own personal gain so I stayed I think it's better to stay with the people you know when the family and known you make freedom will you do you have any questions in the audience yes hello my name is Nicole from northwestern high school my question is for mister billion text in the morning heats question when did you first meet the general and what it was like your daily procedure at them his health general and you put in the front to you and which setting up his household committed a good bodies to be in a manservant you need to know how to home to help act properly and I was young fella why don't we have another question hi my name is Shelly I'm from Western Hills High School my question is to all of you from the fact that you all seem to have such great access to information do you share the news you get with Monticello in Mount Vernon you don't share what you know share everything with everybody in truth it was some sort of up knowledge that I was to acquire that there was some ground rebellion that was to be made desire to to to to to pass that on to everyone you know once you have to to live day to day knowing that you have got to have been killed because of information a document so there are some things that you say but that's something that I've heard it said that general washington envied the ability of the black community communicate quickly you think that's a good point absolutely as he realized they negro was able to communicate what's in New York IBM Virginia block now but they don't know how we move you know there is very good news one of singing singing sunup to sundown masses come up 1000 my neck was must be happy no shit done is done in code is a way of somebody you learn to pass the news in the city will be on a plantation you can hear that news car from the plantation plantation plantation use me to drop the drug used to be a way to communicate without the singing is used as saying the cozy messages news this in town and you have to remember that we are places where most people they can't go we are in the homes not only in the homes about it dining room table of these folks are in the towel runs in the businesses in the shops if you go to market to purchase you'll likely purchasing from Lagos there and even the ships so real have the advantage of being in a place to to hear this information that a lot of folks don't know that you make it plain another question my name is Cody Thomas have no friends soon came to Mount Vernon was thomas jefferson some people say the general and Mrs Jefferson John did mr. Jefferson tell you why he wants to take a second term it seems that bass guitar morning president general general to take another term for the new republic for things to become more to the ideal on the principles that have been talking about the best way to to have things happen that way is to continue the presidency under general he understood these principles of the workings and and and the difference that word that are being established between those to the north and those to the south greatly respect perhaps more than any other bad I see I see no other that would be more fitting to serve a second term president Barack well as I had your question questions now I just want to mention Mr hemming of course your sisters sally hemmings understand she has a very close relationship with mr. Jefferson is that is a cool cool with me do you prove that so not to be short you think you have a brother of the man that you go to see them at a time to be a suitable suited to our system for where are they going to go away he will be able to take care of as a proper suit would be able to show you when your sister obviously very close to Mr Jefferson to have another question my name is John from West Springfield masses for mister shields president general would listen to the advice mister jefferson and run for a second term John I don't know the general is quite I i mean sometimes he just barely able to sit down and share there all the time even at night up and down i mean he's been to now all a first time and I think he would probably be persuaded but I don't think is a good thing for him from his own body can just tell the way it is now moving like he used to seem to be to get calls and other things happening to him that used to quickly so I do feel that he shouldn't be up to him if he doesn't we ought to be gravely concerned about the state of the nation will be sold out to be a source of play generally present be worn out right and I'd be one of the things you said that you gave him the general idea for did you ask him about this three-fifths of a person is why the black community is not been freed with the medication of the Constitution well you know the pleasure children and your grandchildren what happens to them because someone else to do with them so they don't have the mean you speak of making a nation where people can become who they want to become my children cannot become what they want to become someone would tell them what to become I was told to be a ladies may I don't even like sewing and I certainly know you know but it's just it's my hope that with these words have been written down they carry a great deal of meaning and I hope that they'll be acted out in time they say that these ablution is down and Alexandria City these quakers the quakers they say that in time maybe in ten years time here in Virginia we could be good see freedom and I hope that that happens you know what's happening around the country we've seen states have decided new laws that free then the growth I don't know if it will happen here in Virginia but I hope it will only do you have faith of those will happen I don't know I think these men that owned slaves and large number will be hard-pressed to do with out i mean that's where many of them attain most of their well great majority of their wealth and the way the is any Negro mother by Caroline when she has children become the property of her master so you gain this property you don't have to spend for it at all just with national increase alone you can keep and hold slaves and great number I don't think that any of them will be persuaded to do away with that system there may be a feel and I they hear about some like dr. rush to philadelphia is still a little bit before strongly oppose the abolition of the trade but slavery itself but I don't know now we have another question from northwestern high school in my question is to missoni you mentioned in same dominique's now how did you come to learn about it well you hear about a lot of things being in the household that I can you wait upon this is washington won for the president you have people coming into the home at all times and also being in New York and being to philadelphia is why we are at Mount Vernon as well you have access to papers from all over the country in papers say in New York you have stories from all over the world and that's one way to hear about things that market like us it most of the time when you go to market to purchase you are purchasing for more than a girl she keep things that way and those folks that are bringing in goods from market but by way of transporting the water that's where you hear a great deal many things to call us will transport goods for their masters so they can bring goods back and forth when they're bringing goods you can best believe they're bringing news several there's there's much news travels very quickly amongst all of us well I heard about it right here in Virginia as well because many people were escaping with their slaves from many of the Frenchman down and sent it to me we're scraping trying to get out of the conflict then they brought their slaves here so we had some people that were friends came and they spoke of where that came from how they got here and what was going on down there being 1792 is it is the french revolution has just begun and the revolution in Haiti so those surveyed this year seems to be very tumultuous year around the world revolves around a plea to French what that declaration just like we have a declaration of independence shutting the French want their declaration of independence that they deserve so true French when I have one so I think we only have we not only was supplied by team helped him write decoration yes another question I knew it was going to northwestern high school questions and you say that most water heater and will not be too happy in general washington time do you know her very well and as she often share her thoughts and feelings with you yes in her room in her room about five in the morning or so as the Sun is rising and I spend my whole day but there for the most part and so yes I know I know what she's thinking and I can tell when she's upset as well as what happens is she often becomes ill when she gets upset and she's not been feeling very well these days with the general thinking about taking a new term because as a wife you know being in the first first lady of the new United States I think she got worn out because almost every night they had an occasion she had to be dressed and ready to go and meet all these dignitaries and constantly taking visitors and having dinners and she just wants her husband to herself you know I don't think they've had a meal down since he became president and she wants to have time here at Mount Vernon with her husband and her grandchildren have taken upon yourselves to mention to do the general and missus washington mister jefferson that you think that there should be freedom every chance I do you actually say that there's certainly I would not speak of such matters ahead and in public like this but yes we have talked about this and that would be a grand idea but they would also require a key again from find out for Thor understand what you said to have children to be friends but you not be in the same circumstances of white children teach you that learning to have understanding time now to be able to provide for themselves without would be a detriment floor that would make me think that and my question is for you billy i was just wondering and I don't mean any offense but why are you no longer the generals manservant while prop occasion to work so far so you can't get a job so you know how to resume and what about 10 billion tremendous amount of status to see you specifically to stories about what happened in New York what happened in Cambridge first set up shop here from New England 11 Jul set to the young taking billy's price you really can't take his place easy to your you doing his position well as that for you as I see it every frog is going to praise his own lilly pad i think im doing alright fine job with a gentle and easy and Billy has taught me many ways of doing things a little bit easier so I have a lot of respect for building and I seem to general change from waw billion this when you see Indian blood I guess color really does believe is within your heart soldier fighting one another when the battle and I believe that this battle the slave I think the general I think someone makes some kind of statement I don't know what it is but I believe he's going to make some kind of statement about to sleep well I think it's time to order the year 2011 want to stay seated everybody and is known this year by larry is Richard josie is a Sania Dungy here and hope what happened on it will only going back and forth with washington's during their time in New York and Philadelphia becomes aware that if you stand Philadelphia for six months you become free and Washington begins to since lays out of Philadelphia at about the five months smart so on before they take the voyage to to return to Virginia for the last time at the end of Washington second term she escapes and we we don't know how she did it which goes to show how successful it was cuz you wouldn't know the details of it but ends up in new hampshire marries a man named John Harrison have two children and that's how she gets her freedom Little Italy they did there were schemes to kidnap her there was even over sure is that if you return that she'll eventually get your freedom that Washington plan to free his slaves at his his wife but she did one way she wanted her freedom Richard what happened two years after this time frame bob and what's happening is jobs and going back up north you know sort of you know undercover cop doesn't stay bob is not come back probably because his wife dolly's Jenya and so far so good for all the people who work for people ages saving those wages and has a yard or but I think becomes actually katie's Jefferson about the two parties ball and then Bob Hayes that made 2479 has been helping to Caroline ok a lot is not owned by general washington she's owned by the dowry the estate of the customers who was missus washes first husband so she's not a part of the place that would be freed up on missus Washington or general washington stuff so she along with all the other slaves like herself and her children this is washington's grandchildren she eventually trades that freedom of her one of her grandson's for giving a story to a rider General Washington's death mister russians grand kids caroline's grandson his freedom because she told the story General Washington's death writer but she herself never attains freedom her grandchildren yes James what happened Christopher Christopher the same situation as caroline is not by general washington but by the dowry and so he didn't see freedom there at the deathbed of General Washington d.c stands in general as Christmas it out you know because he was standing so long there but he sees his death but I see freedom married he had a young lady that he wanted to bury but the washington this did not approve of this young lady because you spoke up right away and so just give us an idea of what's it like to portray person and sleep it looks like you because you get you give people that did not have the necessary for society face of voice and we do all we can to try to honor these people by not only researching our lives but also making sure that whatever we do we do with very very much caution because we want to make sure that it is an auto and it's not a dishonor thank you very much goodnight