Invisible Founders

With Good Reason

Scholars, historic interpreters, and descendants of enslaved people recently gathered at Montpelier, the home of James Madison. They were there to create a rubric for historic sites who want to engage descendant communities in their work. Anthropologist Michael Blakey discusses why historical sites must consider the needs and wishes of descendants. And: Historian Hasan Kwame Jeffries says we need to do more to teach our kids about African American history, even when it covers tough subjects. Later in the show: Justin Reid tells the story of how he set out to find the plantation where his great-great grandfather was enslaved, and what he found there. And: Crystal Rosson is the great-granddaughter of Sterling Jones Sr., who was enslaved at the former Sweet Briar Plantation, now Sweet Briar College. Rosson shares her family’s history and explains why research by African American genealogists matters as they discover more about the integral role of African Americans in Virginia's history.