Thy Will Be Done: George Washington and the Legacy of Slavery
Join WashU Libraries and WashU Studying Slavery for a special semiquincentennial event to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. John Garrison Marks will discuss his latest book Thy Will Be Done. The event will also include afterhours access to view two original printed Declarations of Independence, and a showcase of rare materials related to the founding of the United States of America.
How should we remember George Washington’s entanglement in slavery? Americans have argued over that question for nearly 250 years. More than any other Founding Father, Washington’s ties to slavery have vexed us. He enslaved more people than any of his fellow founders, yet he was the only one of them to emancipate the people he held in bondage. Since his death, Americans have grappled with this contradiction, shaping and reshaping our collective memory of Washington and slavery—along with our understanding of the nation.
Free and open to all, registration required for Zoom link.
Speaker
John Garrison Marks is a historian and writer whose work explores history, museums, and the ways Americans engage with the past. He is the author or editor of three books, and his work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, TIME, Smithsonian Magazine, and elsewhere. Marks is also a leader in the public history field. He consults for the American Association for State and Local History—the national professional association for public history institutions and professionals—serving as Director of its Public History Research Lab, where he helps connect emerging research with history practitioners across the country. Over the past decade, Marks led national planning and resource development efforts to prepare the public history field for the U.S. 250th anniversary in 2026, and managed other special initiatives that serve history museums, historic sites, and others in the public history community. He has a Ph.D. in history from Rice University.
This event is co-sponsored by WashU Libraries and WashU & Slavery.