George Washington’s Mt Vernon was a sprawling estate that included five different farms and as many as 500 enslaved people, many of whom were owned by Martha Washington. Nineteenth Century woodcuts portrayed the plantation as a place of gentle agrarian work performed by contented staff. In fact, it was an enforced work camp where brutality was the norm. I was reminded of this when Leesa and I watched Gone With the Wind the other night, which premiered in Atlanta, Georgia, 83 years ago today. We were genuinely schocked by what we saw. Appalled really.
© 2024 John Oliver
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