The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret": George Washington, Slavery, and the Enslaved Community at Mount Vernon

George Washington’s life has been scrutinized by historians over the past three centuries, but the day—to—day lives of Mount Vernon’s enslaved workers, who left few written records but made up 90 percent of the estate’s population, have been largely left out of the story.

In "The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret," Mary Thompson offers the first comprehensive account of those who served in bondage at Mount Vernon. Drawing on years of research in a wide range of sources, Thompson brings to l...