George Washington loved slavery. But isn’t that the guy on the one dollar bill? Isn’t he the first POTUS? Isn’t this country all about the land of the free and the home of the brave? The answer to all those questions is a resounding “yes.” It’s ok if you don’t believe. Not many do. Maybe the following facts will help you understand better.
GEORGE WASHINGTON STARTED SLAVERY AT A YOUNG AGE
If George Washington started dabbling in slavery at 65 years old or something, maybe we could give him a break. Maybe we could say he gave into peer pressure from his fellow plantation owners. But alas, that’s not the truth. When GW was just eleven years old, he got his first ten slaves. Now, these ones were gifted to him from Washington’s father. However, he got a taste of it and wanted more. It wasn’t long before he purchased eight more slaves and then seven after that in 1755.
SLAVERY WAS A VIOLENT GAME FOR GEORGE WASHINGTON
Not only did George Washington take part in slavery but he was a model slave owner. Of course, that last phrase is dripping with sarcasm. Washington was notorious for treating his slaves worse than anyone else according to his neighbor Richard Parkinson.
He was big on the emotional abuse as well. Apparently, Washington sold slaves to someone in the West Indies, making sure the slave would never see family or friends again. He did this on several occasions.
THE PEAK OF GEORGE WASHINGTON’S SLAVERY
By the time GW died, he had a total of 317 slaves at his Mount Vernon estate in 1799. In his defense, not all of them were his. Roughly, Washington owned 123 individuals. Also, he did have a moment of humanity when he died. In his will, Washington wanted to have all his slaves freed after his wife Martha died. However, no one ever honored this request. Instead, they divided slaves amongst Daniel Parke Custis.
