George Washington and Slavery

Paper Summary:

This paper provides documentation through existing literature as to how Washington treated his slaves and how he viewed the practice of slavery. The paper notes that the fact that Washington was considered the "father of our country" makes reading about him, his personal life, his ownership of slaves and his lifestyle all the more interesting.

From the Paper:

"Another article from the Papers of George Washington found in the University of Virginia digital materials indicates that while Washington managed his own plantations (when he was not at war or serving as president) "...and was well acquainted with the strengths and weaknesses of individual slaves. He was not impressed with them as a labor force," fretting in some of his correspondence about their "irresponsibility and indolence" (Twohig, 1994). That said, Washington didn't blame the African race for this "indolence," but rather he believed "their poor work habits to be a result of the system itself," author Twohig explained."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Hirschfeld, Fritz. 1997. George Washington and Slavery: A Documentary Portrayal. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press.
• Mack, Dwayne. 2006. Book Review: An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and The Creation of America. Journal of Black Studies 37 (2): 320-321.
• Mazyck, Walter H. 1932. George Washington and The Negro. Washington, D.C. The Associated Publishers, Inc.
• Twohig, Dorothy. 1994. 'That Species of Property': Washington's role in the Controversy Over Slavery. Papers of George Washington, Retrieved May 19, 2007, from http://gwpapers.virginia.edu/articles/twohig_2.html.
• Wiencek, Henry. 2003. An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

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