On-Site Offerings

From Slavery to Freedom Tour

Fridays - Sundays at 10:35 a.m.

This 2.5 hour, guided, small-group, interactive tour explores Monticello through the perspectives of enslaved people who labored on the plantation.

Archaeology Open House and Walking Tours

February 17 - Join Monticello archaeologists at an open house featuring displays of recent excavations and artifacts, engaging activities for all ages, and walking tours.

Slavery at Monticello Guided Tour

Daily; Multiple Times

These guided outdoor walking tours focus on the experiences of the enslaved people who lived and labored on the Monticello plantation. Included with all tour tickets.

Livestreams

February 27 - Join us online for a live conversation with staff from the Getting Word African American Oral History Project. This presentation will be available on our websiteFacebook, and YouTube

Podcasts

"A Rich Spot of Earth" - The Gardens of Enslaved Families

In this episode of our A Rich Spot of Earth podcast, we focus on the gardens enslaved families tended for themselves to supplement their rations and provide additional income, and discuss how these small garden plots figured prominently in the larger plantation economy.

Benjamin Banneker Challenges Thomas Jefferson

Who was Benjamin Banneker? Scientist, clock maker, creator of bestselling almanacs, and possibly the first African American to publicly challenge Jefferson on the topics of slavery, race, and equality.

Music and Monticello's Enslaved Community

Monticello guide and musicologist Kyle Chattleton looks at the ways enslaved African Americans used music and the foundational role they played in creating a distinctly American musical tradition.

William Monroe Trotter Battles 'Birth of a Nation'

Trailblazer. Newspaper publisher. Civil rights titan. Meet William Monroe Trotter, one of the most influential descendants of Monticello’s enslaved community—and someone who too many people have never heard of,

Peter Hemings, an Enslaved Master Brewer

Beer was a part of most meals at Monticello, possibly served in small silver vessels known today as "Jefferson Cups." But where did the beer come from? What was it like? And who made it?

John and Priscilla Hemmings

Monticello guide Kyle Chattleton looks at the close relationship of Monticello's enslaved joiner John Hemmings and his wife, Priscilla, an enslaved domestic servant owned by Jefferson's son-in-law.

The Grangers of Monticello

George and Ursula Granger moved to Monticello in 1773, as the enslaved workers of Thomas Jefferson. The Grangers of Monticello would go on to include community leaders, skilled tradesmen, cooks, blacksmiths, tinsmiths, farmers, and cider-makers as well as caring spouses, parents, children, and siblings.

Websites, Apps, and Online Exhibits

James Hemings

Follow the eventful life of James Hemings, a Paris-trained Chef de Cuisine enslaved by Thomas Jefferson and credited for popularizing macaroni and cheese in America.

Black History Month Reading

Featured Publications

Explore our wide selection of publications that bring history forward through the stories of Monticello's enslaved community and their descendants. 

Exploring Freedom & The Legacies of Slavery

Explore Stories

Learn about some of the remarkable families and individuals — free and enslaved — spanning over seven generations through Monticello's tours, the Getting Word Project, exhibitions, digital resources, and special events.