Intertwined tells the story of the more than 577 people enslaved by George and Martha Washington at Mount Vernon. Told through the biographies of Sambo Anderson, Davy Gray, William Lee, Kate, Ona Judge, Nancy Carter Quander, Edmund Parker, Caroline Branham, and the Washingtons, this eight-part podcast series explores the lives and labors of Mount Vernon’s enslaved community, and how we interpret slavery at the historic site today. Intertwined is narrated by Brenda Parker and is a production of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and CD Squared. www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com
https://www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com
episode 2: Episode 2: Laboring
Episode 2: “Laboring”
As an overseer, Davy Gray was entrusted by George Washington with the management of the enslaved laborers on Dogue Run Farm. His weekly reports to Washington revealed progress toward Washington’s goal of transforming Mount Vernon into a model of British agriculture. But Gray was also enslaved, just like the men, women, and children he oversaw. In this episode, we explore Gray’s complicated story to learn about the daily labor of Mount Vernon’s enslaved community and Washington’s relentless quest to make his plantation into a self-sustaining enterprise.
Featuring:
- Jessie MacLeod, Associate Curator, George Washington’s Mount Vernon
- Thomas Reinhart, Director of Preservation, George Washington’s Mount Vernon
- Mary V. Thompson, Research Historian, Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington
- Dr. Kelley Fanto Deetz, Director of Collections and Visitor Engagement, Stratford Hall Plantation, and Director of Education and Historic Interpretation, Virginia’s Executive Mansion
- Dr. Lorena Walsh, Research Historian Emerita, Colonial Williamsburg
- Dr. Bruce Ragsdale, Independent Scholar and former Director of the Federal Judicial History Office
Full transcripts, show notes, and bibliographies available at www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com.