Who We Are

On June 14, 2019, the Montpelier Descendants Community convened to establish an organization to honor the sacrifices, resilience, and brilliance of our ancestors who contributed immeasurably to the founding of this nation.

We are focused on restoring the narratives of enslaved Americans at plantation sites in Central Virginia, including but not limited to James Madison’s Montpelier.

Through a series of public programs, events, research, and communications, the MDC advocates for a more accurate understanding of the lives of enslaved people based on broader, richer and more truthful interpretations of American history. 

We are committed to cultivating an environment of gratitude and respect for the memory of enslaved people near and far. Our primary focus is here at Montpelier and the surrounding areas where our community of ancestors lived and worked.

We are here to promote a better understanding of their lives based on an inclusive history of American slavery—and a better understanding of how their lives informed ideals of universal liberty enshrined in the Constitution, yet denied to them.

Scholar Advisors to Montpelier Descendants Committee

Montpelier Descendants Committee Officers

Montpelier Descendants Committee Directors