Conversations at the Washington Library

In May 1787, George Washington arrived in Philadelphia to attend the Constitutional Convention. One afternoon, as he waited for the other delegates …

We're delighted to bring you one of the bonus episodes from our other podcast, Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington’s Mount Vernon.

In Intertwined Stories, we're featuring extended interviews with …

The Battle of Saratoga in September and October of 1777 was a decisive turning point in the American War for Independence. The American victory over the British in northern New York put a stopper to London’s dreams of a …

Hannah Lawrence Schieffelin was an American poet who rhymed about some of the most important issues facing the early United States in the eighteenth century, including the British occupation of New York City during the …

In eighteenth-century America,  you would’ve had little opportunity for formal schooling or an advanced education. Unless you were among the elite or …

For years after the ratification of the Constitution, Americans debated how the Federal Government and the several states should relate to each …

In the 1760s, tobacco was one of Virginia’s chief exports. But George Washington turned away from the noxious plant and began dreaming of wheat and a more profitable future. Washington became enamored with new ideas …

In the 18th and 19th centuries, North Americans looked up at the sky in wonder at the cosmos and what lay beyond earth’s atmosphere.
But astronomers like Benjamin Banneker, Georgia surveyors, Cherokee storytellers, and …

When delegates assembled in Philadelphia in the Summer of 1787 to write a new Constitution, they spent months in secret writing a document they hoped …

For most Americans, Thomas Paine is the radical Englishman, and former tax collector, who published Common Sense in early 1776. His claim that …

On this week's show, we bring you Episode 1 of Intertwined: The Enslaved Community at George Washington's Mount Vernon. Entitled "Passages," it features the life of Sambo Anderson, who was just a boy when he was …

Intertwined tells the story of the more than 577 people enslaved by George and Martha Washington at Mount Vernon. Told through the biographies of …

Although you might not realize it, in the years before the American Revolution, Nova Scotia was all the rage. People concocted various schemes to …

In May 1796, an enslaved woman named Ona Judge fled the presidential household in Philadelphia and escaped to freedom on a ship headed for New …

To kick off Season 6, we bring you the story of America’s Favorite Fighting Frenchmen.
In 1777, the Marquis de Lafayette sailed from France with a commission as a major general in the Continental Army. Unlike many other …

In the eighteenth century, the Myaamia people inhabited what are now parts of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. More commonly known in English as the Miami, the Myaamia figure prominently in the early history of …

Consuls are essential to American foreign relations. Although they may not be as flashy or as powerful as an Ambassador like Thomas Jefferson or John …

If you pull any decent history book off your shelf right now, odds are that it’s filled with quotes from letters, diaries, or account books that help …

On September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key began composing "The Star-Spangled Banner after witnessing the British attack on Fort McHenry. Of all the …

In 1784, King Charles III of Spain sent George Washington a token of his esteem. Knowing that Washington had long sought a Spanish donkey for his Mount Vernon estate, the king permitted a jack to be exported to the new …

The American Revolution dismembered a protestant empire. In the years during and after the war, states disestablished their churches, old and new …

In the eighteenth century, death stalked early Americans like a predator hunting its prey. In Virginia, as in other colonies, death made children …

If you’ve taken part in a part in a protest recently, perhaps you carried a sign, waved a flag, or worn a special hat.

But if you had grievances in …

Plymouth Plantation occupies a powerful place in American national memory. Think of the First Thanksgiving in 1621; Englishmen escaping religious …

Maryland wasn’t so merry for some Americans during the Revolutionary War, especially if you happened to side with the king. Professing fealty to the …

Virginia was home to many of the most famous rebels like George Washington during the American Revolution, but it was also a den of Tories who …

When the COVID pandemic stuck last spring, thousands of cultural heritage sites, including the Washington Library and Mount Vernon, had to find ways …

In the early years of the nineteenth century, former Virginia schoolteacher James Ogilvie embarked on a lecture tour that took the United States by …

The South Carolina State House Grounds is a landscape of monuments and memory. Since the capital moved from Charleston to Columbia in the 1780s, …

Two weeks ago, we brought you the story of Johann Peter Oettinger, a seventeenth-century German-speaking barber-surgeon who in 1693 journeyed to Africa and the West Indies on behalf of the Brandenburg African Company. …

In 1693, the young German barber-surgeon Johann Peter Oettinger joined a slave trading venture for the second time.

In the employ of the Brandenburg African Company, Oettinger sailed with his shipmates from Europe to …

Bienvenido a Conversaciones en la Biblioteca de Washington. 

Hoy, Jim Ambuske habla con el profesor José Emilio Yanes de la Universidad de Salamanca en España. Yanes es el autor del libro El Regalo de Carlos III A …

In 1784, King Charles III of Spain sent George Washington a token of his esteem. Knowing that Washington had long sought a Spanish donkey for his Mount Vernon estate, the king permitted a jack to be exported to the new …

One of the most important things we’re able to do at the Center for Digital History is offer internships to college students.

Working with students …

Take a receipt out of your pocket. What does it say about you? Receipts can tell us a lot about people and the world in which they lived. And George …

We wanted to let you know of some exciting changes we’ll be making to the podcast that will allow you to hear more from groundbreaking historians and …

For many people,  one of life’s great joys is a lovely dram of whiskey. Whether you’re a fan of Kentucky Bourbon, Single-malt Scotches, Japanese or Tennessee whiskey, every glass tells a story or contains memories that …

This is Part Two of Jim Ambuske's July 2019 chat with Washington Library Research Historian Mary V. Thompson. We’re recasting it in celebration of …

Forty years ago, Mary V. Thompson began her career at Mount Vernon as a museum attendant and history interpreter. She was quickly promoted to Curatorial Assistant, and within a few short years was named Curatorial …

In this season of religious renewal, we bring you a story of religious dissent. In 1638, many of King Charles I’s Presbyterian subjects gathered at Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh to sign the National Covenant. By …

In 1757, Benjamin Franklin returned to London after an over thirty-year absence. He first ventured to the imperial capital in 1724 to continue his …

Consuls are essential to American foreign relations. Although they may not be as flashy or as powerful as an Ambassador like Thomas Jefferson or John …

In the eighteenth century, Benjamin Franklin and other early Americans likened themselves to a rising people who were creating something new under the sun. It’s fair to say that historians have a similar mindset: we’re …

The Great Dismal Swamp is a remarkable feature of the southern coastal plain. Spanning from Norfolk, Virginia to Elizabeth City, North Carolina, the …

In 1783, the United States and Great Britain signed the Treaty of Paris, which confirmed American independence. As part of the treaty negotiations, American and British diplomats had to determine the new nation’s …

With another American presidential election behind us, talk will inevitably turn to the economy and how the president will handle it.

That begs a series of questions as we turn our thoughts back to the eighteenth …

What is a legacy? As the artist Lin-Manual Miranda tells us, it’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.

American presidents, regardless of party, spend a great deal of time during their presidencies and after …

In 1784, British men went to the polls. It was a pivotal contest in the aftermath of the American Revolution, following a slew of prime ministers who …

To learn more and to register, please visit: www.mountvernon.org/gwsymposium

As our nation approaches its next presidential election, the 2020 George Washington Symposium …

If you pull any decent history book off your shelf right now, odds are that it’s filled with quotes from letters, diaries, or account books that help …

In the eighteenth century, the Myaamia people inhabited what are now parts of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. More commonly known in English as the Miami, the Myaamia figure prominently in the early history of …

The Washington Library's Center for Digital History often collaborates with students to advance its research and public history projects. That can …

On September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key began composing "The Star-Spangled Banner after witnessing the British attack on Fort McHenry. Of all the …

The Prince of Darkness wrought havoc on the souls of seventeenth-century Christians living throughout the Atlantic world. Whether they called him …

Conversations at the Washington Library kicks off Season 5 by exploring the life of a radical populist who never met a revolution he didn’t like. …

This episode originally aired in September 2019.

You may know him as Robert E. Lee’s father, but Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee was so much more. …

The Syphax Family has deep historic ties to Mount Vernon and other sites of enslavement in Virginia.

In 1821, Charles Syphax, an enslaved man at …

It’s easy to think of slave holding as a male profession. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and countless other men are often the …

On today's show, we bring you the audio from our annual Martha Washington Lecture. This year's topic was Mary Ball Washington, George's mother, and the recent work by historians to rethink what we know about her life. …

Season 5 of the podcast drops in a few weeks. In the meantime, we're pleased to offer you Library Executive Director Kevin Butterfield’s recent live stream conversation with Edward J. Larson. Larson is the author of …

Season 5 of Conversations at the Washington Library is just around the corner. Until then, we're happy to bring you Jim Ambuske's recent live stream …

While work continues on the podcast's upcoming Season 5, we’re pleased to offer you another summer interlude.

For today’s show, we bring you the …

Week 3 of our summer hiatus is another opportunity to bring you a fascinating look at early America courtesy of some of our recent live stream programming.

On today’s show, we bring you Library Executive Director Kevin …

We're excited to bring you Season 5 of Conversations at the Washington Library in a few short weeks. But in the meantime we’ll keep you entertained as promised.

Today, we bring you the audio version of Executive …

Summer has arrived and with it the end of Season 4 of Conversations at the Washington Library. 

But don't despair! While we're busy recording new episodes for Season 5, we'll keep the conversation going by bringing you …

During the American Revolution, the Chesapeake Bay was a pirate’s nest. The men who plied the Bay’s waters had shifting loyalties, competing …

This Friday marks the anniversary of Juneteenth, the holiday that commemorates the moment on June 19, 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas …

In March 1797, newly-inaugurated president John Adams thought he detected a glint of joy in George Washington’s eyes as the aging Virginian stepped …

Note: This episode originally aired on January 30, 2020.

In May 1796, Ona Judge, Martha Washington’s enslaved maidservant, freed herself by walking out of the Washington’s Philadelphia home. She had learned that Martha …

Virginia is a landscape shaped by slavery and the enslaved communities who labored in bondage on plantations like Mount Vernon, Monticello, and the smaller farms that surrounded these large estates.

But in the …

In 1812, Pennsylvania state legislators contemplated something that most Americans would now find completely unimaginable: demolishing Independence …

In November 1800, President John Adams composed a letter to his wife, Abigail, just after he moved into the new White House.

He concluded his letter to his “dearest friend” this way: “I pray Heaven to bestow the best of …

On the evening of March 5, 1770, Captain Thomas Preston and a small contingent of British Redcoats under his command fired into a crowd of civilians massing on King Street in Boston, killing several people.

Many of us …

In December 1799, George Washington died after a short illness. His body and his legacy quickly became fodder for nineteenth century Americans – free and enslaved – who were struggling to make sense of what it meant to …

In 1757, Martha Dandridge Custis paid the artist John Wollaston the handsome sum of 56 pistoles for portraits of her, her husband Daniel Parke Custis…

In 1793, the dreaded Yellow Fever swept through Philadelphia. The deadly virus raced through the nation’s capital between August and November, …

In May 1865, Union forces captured Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Irwinville, Georgia as the Civil War neared its end.

Davis had led the Confederate States of America since 1861. He was taken to Fortress …

There are many things that we take for granted in the modern United States. The president’s cabinet is one of them.

Although the cabinet is a …

Three hundred years ago, timber and turtles were key commodities for English settlers on Barbados and Jamaica.

Barbadians sailed northwest to the …

It's mid-March 2020 and chances are you're listening to this episode from the comfort of your home as you practice social distancing. Over the past …

Dr. Ron Grim has been a geographer for over 40 years. After receiving his PhD from the University of Maryland, Ron embarked on a career that included …

On the morning of November 1, 1755, a devastating earthquake struck the Portuguese capital of Lisbon. The quake leveled buildings, triggered fires, and caused a tsunami that laid waste to the urban landscape. When it …

In 1784, Revolutionary War veteran Samuel Shaw set sail on the Empress of China destined for the city of Canton, or Guangzhou, in southern China.

…

Like many folks around the country, you might have spent the last three evenings watching Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Washington documentary series on the …

When the British defeated the French and their allies in the Seven Years’ War, they acquired vast new territories that expanded British America. Britain’s North America Empire grew to include New Brunswick in Canada, …

The modern biography as we know it dates to the eighteenth century when Scottish author and lawyer James Boswell published The Life of Samuel Johnson. Boswell produced an account of the rascally Englishman, a friend of …

In May 1796, Ona Judge, Martha Washington’s enslaved maidservant, freed herself by walking out of the Washington’s Philadelphia home. She had learned that Martha intended to give her away as a wedding present to …

In late 1777, George Washington’s disappointing performance as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army was a source of growing concern among some army officers and members of Congress. While he had won important …

When George Washington died in December 1799, it changed Martha Washington’s legal status. Just as she did when she was widowed for the first time in 1757, Martha once again became an independent person in the eyes of …

This episode originally aired in June 2019. 

Once the United States achieved its independence, how did white Americans expect to educate the new republic's youth? How did questions about education become a flash point …

Early Americans like George Washington obsessed over genealogy. Much was at stake. One's place on the family tree could mean the difference between …

The podcast team is off for the holidays. We'll be back in the new year with new thought-provoking interviews with the likes of Jeanette Patrick, …

What does the American Revolution look like from a British vantage point? How does that change the way we think about the origins of the United …

On October 2, 1780, Major John André was executed as a spy on George Washington’s orders. The British officer had convinced American general Benedict …

Dr. Nadine Zimmerli recently joined The University of Virginia Press as its editor of History and Social Sciences books. A former editor at the …

We’re off this week for the Thanksgiving holiday. We’ll be back next week with conversations featuring some of the leading lights in early American …

If you know anything about Rachel Jackson, chances are you know her best as Andrew Jackson’s wife. You might also know that Rachel died in late 1828, just before Andrew became president. 

During Andrew’s presidential …

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson criticized George III for "Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us" in the years before …

How has technology changed the way that historians and educators tell stories about the past? What does it mean to do "digital history" and how can …

Historians spend a lot of time thinking about audience. Whether speaking at academic meetings, talking with the general public, or teaching students, we consider how we can best communicate our ideas to different …

Maps do more than visualize landscapes, identify political borders, or chart rivers and oceans. They show us the many and varied ways that we make …

The word “impeachment” is in the air these days. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a website to find information about what the Constitution’s framers …

What comes to mind when you think about Congress in the nineteenth century?

Perhaps you imagine great orators like Henry Clay or Daniel Webster declaiming on the important issues then facing the republic.

And yes, in …

On today’s show, veteran journalist and biographer Harlow Giles Unger talks to Jim Ambuske about revolutionary radical Thomas Paine, one of his …

Imagine you lived in the year 1793. The United States has recently suffered its worst military defeat in its history at the hands of the …

In this episode of Conversations at the Washington Library, Samantha Snyder speaks to Jim Ambuske about the life of Elizabeth Willing Powel. Powel was a prominent Philadelphian who became close to the Washington family. …

You may know him as Robert E. Lee’s father, but Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee was so much more. Born into a Virginia dynasty, the man who would …

On July 4, 1791, fifteen years after Americans declared independence, two men walked into a Virginia field. Only one walked out alive. John Crane, …

In the fall of 1789, George Washington ordered a printed copy of the Constitution along with the laws passed by the First Federal Congress. A book binder bound the printed sheets in leather and added the words …

We all know Alexander Hamilton for his service during the Revolutionary War, his tenure as the first Secretary of the Treasury, and his death at the …

In what ways did the United States remain bound to Great Britain in the decades after American Independence? As it turns out, the law and legal ideas served as a connection between Americans and their former British …

How did a George Washington letter find a home Scotland? In this episode of Conversations at the Washington Library, Jim Ambuske talks with Rachel …

In this episode, Jim Ambuske chats with LTC Matthew Kutilek, USMC, a 2001 graduate of The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. Kutilek is a United …

In this episode, Jim Ambuske sits down with first year Ph.D. student Jordan Pellerito of the University of Missouri who is interning this summer at the Washington Library. Pellerito tells us about her Master’s degree …

In this episode, Dr. Jim Ambuske continues his conversation with the Washington Library's Research Historian Mary V. Thompson to discuss her new book, "The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret": George Washington, …

In this episode Dr Jim Ambuske sits down with the Washington Librarys Research Historian Mary V Thompson to discuss her new book The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret George Washington Slavery and the Enslaved …

Once the United States achieved its independence, how did white Americans expect to educate the new republic's youth? How did questions about education become a flash point in the battle between Federalists and …

In this episode, Dr. Kevin Butterfield sits down with Dr. Jim Ambuske the Washington Library's new Digital Historian and future podcast host.

About Our Guest:

Jim Ambuske, Ph.D. leads the Center for Digital History at …

 In this episode Dr Douglas Bradburn sits down with Captain Glenn Jamison Captain Daryle D Cardone and Command Master Chief Maurice Coffey of the USS George Washington on location at the aircraft carrier.

In this episode Dr Kevin Butterfield sits down with Kings College Georgian Papers Fellow Dr. James Fisher to discuss his latest findings on the topic …

 In this episode Associate Curator Jessie MacLeod sits down with Library research fellow Sara Collini to discuss her latest findings on the topic …

In this episode, Dr Joe Stoltz sits down with Tom Clavin to discuss his new book entitled Valley Forge. For more information check out our website …

In this bonus-sized episode Dr Douglas Bradburn sits down with bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Atkinson to discuss volume one of …

In this episode, Dr Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with world renowned author and 2016 George Washington Prize winner Nathaniel Philbrick to discuss his latest book, In the Hurricanes Eye The Genius of George Washington …

In this episode, Dr Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with Carla McClafferty author of the book, Buried Lives The Enslaved People of George Washington's Mount Vernon. For more information check out our website …

In this episode Dr Kevin C. Butterfield, sits down with Library research fellow and world-renowned chef Justin Cherry to discuss his research topic, "The Impact of George Washingtons Mount Vernon in 18th Century …

In this episode, Dr. Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with Dr. Sean P. Harvey, Library research fellow and associate professor of history at Seton Hall University, to discuss his research topic tilted, Albert Gallatin, …

In this episode, Dr. Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with Nick Bunker, author and 2015 George Washington Prize winner, to discuss his new book, Young Benjamin Franklin: The Birth of Ingenuity. For more information check …

In this episode, Dr. Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with research fellow Dr. James Hrdlicka to discuss his latest findings on the origins and development of American democratic constitutionalism. For more information …

In this episode, Dr. Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with Dr. Woody Holton to discuss the 10th anniversary of his Bancroft Prize winning book, Abigail …

In this episode, Dr. Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with Dr. Eric Lomazoff, an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Villanova University, to …

In this episode, Anthony King sits down with Dr. Joe Stoltz, Co-Director of the George Washington Leadership Institute at Mount Vernon, and Dr. Dana …

In this episode, Dr. Joe Stoltz sits down with Adam Erby, Associate Curator at Mount Vernon, to discuss the newly restored front parlor room in the …

In this episode, Dr. Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with Dr. Catherine Kerrison, a Professor of history at Villanova University, to discuss her book, Jefferson's Daughters: Three Sisters, White and Black, in a Young …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down again with Steve Bashore, the Director of Historic Trades at George Washington's Mount Vernon, to …

In this episode, Access Services Librarian Samantha Snyder sits down with Library research fellow Dr. Joyce Lindorff to discuss her research on Nelly Parke Custis as well as the newly restored harpsichord that has been …

In this episode, Dr. Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with Dr. Patrick Spero, Librarian and Director of the American Philosophical Society Library, to discuss his latest book, Frontier Rebels: The Fight for Independence …

In this episode, Anthony King sits down with Samantha Snyder, Access Services Librarian at the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington at Mount Vernon, to discuss the research operations at the …

In this episode, Anthony King sits down with Dr. Joe Stoltz, Co-Director of the George Washington Leadership Institute at Mount Vernon, to discuss …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Cassandra Good, former Library research fellow and Assistant Professor of History at Marymount …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Dean Norton, the Director of Horticulture, to discuss the gardens and planting operations at Mount …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Joe Bondi, the Senior Vice President of Development at George Washington's Mount Vernon. The two …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Jessie MacLeod, Associate Curator here at George Washington's Mount Vernon. The two discuss the …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Alissa Oginsky, Manager of Teacher Programs and 2016 Mount Vernon History Teacher of the Year award …

In this episode, Dr. Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with Dr. Mary Sarah Bilder, Founders Professor of Law at Boston College Law School, to discuss …

In this episode, Dr. Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with author Richard Brookhiser to discuss his newest book, John Marshall: The Man Who Made the Supreme Court. For more information check out our website at …

In this episode, Access Services Librarian Samantha Snyder sits down with Julie Almacy, Manager of the Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows program, to …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Anthony King, Library Projects Assistant at George Washington's Mount Vernon and co-producer/sound …

In this episode, Access Services Librarian Samantha Snyder sits down with author and Library research fellow George Goodwin to discuss his latest findings regarding Benjamin Franklin, espionage, and the propaganda …

In this episode, Access Services Librarian Samantha Snyder sits down with Adam Erby, Associate Curator at Mount Vernon, to discuss the his favorite …

In this episode Dr Joseph Stoltz, sits down with Peter Stark author of Young Washington How Wilderness and War Forged America's Founding Father to …

In this episode, we take a spook-tacular tour of Mount Vernon's history, featuring stories and voices from across the ages. Happy Halloween from all …

In this episode, Dr. Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with Washington Library research fellow Dr. Daniel Livesay to discuss his recent book, Children of Uncertain Fortune: Mixed-Race Jamaicans in Britain and the Atlantic …

In this episode, Dr. Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with Washington Library research fellow Mark Tabbert to discuss his latest research regarding George Washington and his membership in/relationship with Freemasonry. …

In this episode, to celebrate the five-year anniversary of the opening of the Washington Library, current Executive Director Dr. Kevin C. Butterfield sits down with Dr. Douglas Bradburn, the former Founding Director of …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Steve Bashore, the Director of Historic Trades at George Washington's Mount Vernon. The two discuss …

In this episode, Access Services Librarian Samantha Snyder sits down with Ph.D. candidate at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and Washington Library research fellow Krysten Blackstone to discuss her fellowship …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Assistant Professor of History at the William Woods University and former Washington Library …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Associate Professor of American History at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Library …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Scott Miller, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Virginia and a former Washington Library …

In this episode, Mount Vernon's Vice President of Education Allison Wickens sits down with Valerie Shull, a 23-year veteran teacher of the Douglas …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Associate Professor of History at the University of Northwestern St. Paul and former Washington …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Dr. Dana Stefanelli to discuss his role as one of the editors for the Papers of George …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Allison Wickens, Vice President of Education at George Washington's Mount Vernon. For more …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Sam Murphy, Manager of Historic Trades at George Washington's Mount Vernon. For more information …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Jeremy Ray, Manager of History Interpretation at George Washington's Mount Vernon. For more …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Mount Vernon character interpreter Brenda Parker to discuss the challenges of portraying and …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Hamilton musical U.S. tour cast members Sabrina Sloan (Angelica Schuyler) and Nicholas Christopher …

In this episode, Dr. Gordon Wood sits down with Dr. Douglas Bradburn, the President and C.E.O. of George Washington's Mount Vernon, to discuss Dr. Wood's fifty-three year career as a historian of early America. For more …

In this episode, Dr. Gordon Wood sits down with Dr. Douglas Bradburn, the President and C.E.O. of George Washington's Mount Vernon, to discuss Dr. Wood's new book, Friends Divided: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. For …

In this episode, Dr. Douglas Bradburn, the President and C.E.O. of George Washington's Mount Vernon, sits down with author Russell Shorto to discuss …

In this episode, Mount Vernon's President and C.E.O. Douglas Bradburn sits down with scholar Kevin J. Hayes to discuss his new book, George …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Washington Library research fellow Dr. Mark Edward Lender to discuss the Conway Cabal and the …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Washington Library research fellow Iris de Rode to discuss the relationship between George …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Washington Library research fellow Dr. Elisa Vargas to discuss the early diplomatic relationship …

In this episode, Mount Vernon President and C.E.O. Doug Bradburn sits down with the Senior Vice President of Visitor Engagement Rob Shenk to discuss the challenges and opportunities of public history in the age of New …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Matt Briney, the Vice President of New Media at George Washington's Mount Vernon, and Joseph …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Washington Library research fellow Dr. Lawrence B.A. Hatter to discuss his topic, Negotiating …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Washington Library research fellow Dr. Charlene Boyer Lewis to discuss her topic, The Traitor’s …

In this episode, Dr. Douglas Bradburn, the President and C.E.O. of George Washington's Mount Vernon, sits down with Dr. Jon Kukla to discuss his book, Patrick Henry: Champion of Liberty. For more information check out …

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Stoltz sits down with Dr. Larrie Ferreiro to discuss his book, Brothers At Arms: American Independence and the Men of …

Dr. Edward Gray is Professor of History at Florida State University where he teaches a range of courses in U.S. history, Native American history, and the history of the Pacific in the age of Captain James Cook. He was …

Dr. Alan Taylor is the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Chair and Professor of History at the University of Virginia. He has written numerous books on …

Louisa Thomas is a graduate of Harvard University and former fellow at the New America Foundation think tank. She is also a former contributor to the …

Dr. Michael Klarman is the Kirkland and Ellis Professor at Harvard Law School and received his Ph.D. in legal history from the University of Oxford, …

George Goodwin is Honorary Author in Residence at Benjamin Franklin House in London, the world's only remaining Franklin home. He is also a Fellow at the Royal Historical Society, the Chartered Institute of Marketing, …

Dr. Erica Armstrong Dunbar is the Blue and Gold Distinguished Professor of Black American Studies at the University of Delaware where her teaching …

Mr. John Steele Gordon is an independent author and historian who specializes in business and financial history. He has written numerous books on America's financial history, including "The Scarlet Woman of Wall Street: …

Dr. Zara Anishanslin is Assistant Professor of History and Art History at the University of Delaware who specializes in Early American and Atlantic …

John Avlon is is Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director of the Daily Beast and is a CNN political analyst. His book "Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe …

Dr. Kathleen DuVal is the Bowman and Gordon Gray Professor of History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research focuses on …

Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times bestselling author. Her first historical fiction novel, "Fever 1793," received multiple awards and is used …

Dr. Lydia Brandt is Assistant Professor of Art History at the University of South Carolina, where she teaches the history of American art and …

Dr. David Hildebrand is a specialist in early American music, teaches American music history at the Peabody Conservatory, and is an author for the …

Dr. Frank Cogliano is Professor of American History and Dean International for North America at the University of Edinburgh and is also a member of the advisory board for the International Center for Jefferson Studies …

Dr. Susan Dunn is the Massachusetts Professor of Humanities at Williams College and is the author of numerous history books exploring topics ranging …

Mr. Richard Brookhiser is an American journalist, biographer, and historian, and is a senior editor at National Review. He has also written numerous books on the Founding period of American history. Mr. Brookhiser was …

The George Washington Leadership Lecture was held on October 3, 2016 and features a conversation with FBI Director James Comey, who will discuss leadership lessons learned throughout his personal pathway to becoming the …

Dr. Lorri Glover is Professor and the John Francis Bannon S.J. Endowed Chair at St. Louis University and was a member of the 2016-17 class of research fellows at the Washington Library. She discusses her book "The Fate …

To celebrate the three-year anniversary of the opening of the Washington Library, we joined forces with the National Constitution Center in …

Dr. Mary Sarah Bilder is the Founders Professor of Law at Boston College Law School, where she teaches in the areas of property, trusts and estates, …

Dr. Bruce Ragsdale has served as director of the Federal Judicial History Office at the Federal Judicial Center and as an associate historian at the U.S. House of Representatives. He was also a fellow at the Washington …

Dr. Edward Larson is a University Professor of history and holds the Hugh & Hazel Darling Chair in Law at Pepperdine University. He is also a …

Michael Blakeman is a Ph.D. candidate at Yale and was the Amanda and Greg Gregory Fellow at the Washington Library for the 2014-2015 academic year. During this Lunch and Fellowship Program, recorded on August 19, 2015, …

Patrick K. O’Donnell is a combat historian, author, and public speaker who has written ten books recounting America’s wars. He is an expert on elite …

Dr. Stephen Brumwell is the author of numerous books and articles about early American History. He discusses his book "George Washington: Gentleman …

Dr. T.H. Breen received his Ph.D. from Yale University in 1968 and is currently the Director of the Chabraja Center for Historical Studies and History Department Chair at Northwestern University. He discusses his book …

Dr. Philip Levy is a Professor of History at the University of South Florida and was a member of the 2015-16 class of fellows at the Washington Library. In 2008 he won international attention for co-leading the team …

Alissa Oginsky is a 6th grade U.S. history teacher with Fairfax County Public Schools and is the 2016 Mount Vernon History Teacher of the Year. She …

Dr. Joshua Canale is an instructor of history at Jefferson Community College in Watertown, New York and was a member of the Washington Library's …

Nick Bunker is the author of "Making Haste From Babylon, a History of the Mayflower Pilgrims." A former investment banker and journalist for the Financial Times, he served for many years on the board of the Freud …

C.L. Bragg is the author of "Distinction in Every Service: Brigadier General Marcellus A. Stovall, C.S.A." and coauthor of the critically acclaimed "Never for Want of Powder: The Confederate Powder Works in Augusta, …

Lindsay Chervinsky is a Ph.D. candidate in history at the University of California, Davis whose research explores how key government institutions …

Fergus M. Bordewich has been an independent historian and writer since the early 1970s. As a journalist he traveled extensively in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa writing on a variety of topics. He also served …

Erik Goldstein is Curator of Mechanical Arts & Numismatics at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. After receiving a BA in Fine …

Dr. Colin Calloway is John Kimball, Jr. 1943 Professor of History and Professor of Native American Studies at Dartmouth. He served for two years as …

Dr. Adrienne M. Harrison is currently a Fellow and Consulting Historian with Battlefield Leadership, a consulting and training company specializing …

Chris Juergens is a Ph.D. candidate at Florida State University whose research explores the German auxiliaries of the Holy Roman Empire which served …

Ricardo Herrera is an Associate Professor of Military History at the School of Advanced Military Studies, U.S. Army Command and General Staff …

Francois Furstenberg is an Associate Professor of History at Johns Hopkins University. His research interests include the relationship between …

Author David Preston discusses his book Braddock’s Defeat: the Battle of the Monongahela and the Road to Revolution, with Washington Library Founding …

Paul Brandus is an author, independent member of the White House press corps, and founder of the Twitter page @WestWingReport. He is also a …

Dr. Annette Gordon-Reed is an award-winning author and the Charles Warren Professor of American Legal History at Harvard Law School. Dr. Peter S. …

Flora Fraser is professional writer and author of numerous historical  biographies. As a young woman she was employed as a researcher by her grandmother and mother. She co-founded the Elizabeth Longford Prize for …

Dr. John Fea is Professor of American History and Chair of the History Department at Messiah College and was a fellow at the Washington Library …

Dr. Trenton Cole Jones is an assistant professor of history at Purdue University and was the Amanda and Greg Gregory Family fellow at the Library …

Dr. Laura Auricchio is the Dean of Bachelor’s Program for Adults and Transfer Students and of the School of Languages, and is an Associate Professor …