Thomas Jefferson: Liberty and Slavery
How could the author of the Declaration of the Independence own slaves? How could twenty percent of the population of the new United States, founded on the principles of liberty and equality, live in bondage? What was life like for enslaved people in the early republic?
Jefferson's Attitudes Toward Slavery
Thomas Jefferson called slavery a “moral depravity” and a “hideous blot,” but continued to hold human beings as property his entire adult life.
The Business of Slavery at Monticello
Jefferson profited not just by the crops and products produced by his enslaved laborers but also from the value of the slaves themselves.
Videos about Slavery at Monticello

"Some visitors think we're trying to knock Jefferson off his pedestal" - A Guide's Perspective

"Picturing Mulberry Row" - A short video about Monticello's main plantation street

Overseers and Violence at Monticello






