Woke Montpelier Tour Guide Shamed Into Silence
June 2023
From a Virginia resident in our network:
We have season passes to Monticello and Montpelier, both being nearby.
On a guided tour you will never hear the word, “slave.” It’s “Enslaved Person/People.” That's fine but I wonder how they came up with that and why.
One guide told a story about an enslaved person who travelled and handled business affairs for the
owner. He was well regarded and set free to set up his own business. He was travelling on a riverboat transporting some of his goods to sell in Virginia.
The guide explained that he fell overboard and the captain refused to rescue him because he was black. I asked, “Do you know for certain that the captain’s motivation was based on race? Is this a historical fact? There are good reasons not to turn around a big paddle wheel boat in the middle of a river.”
The guide said, “No, I just assumed” and apologized. I didn’t have to say anything after that.
June 2023
From a Virginia resident in our network:
We have season passes to Monticello and Montpelier, both being nearby.
On a guided tour you will never hear the word, “slave.” It’s “Enslaved Person/People.” That's fine but I wonder how they came up with that and why.
One guide told a story about an enslaved person who travelled and handled business affairs for the
owner. He was well regarded and set free to set up his own business. He was travelling on a riverboat transporting some of his goods to sell in Virginia.
The guide explained that he fell overboard and the captain refused to rescue him because he was black. I asked, “Do you know for certain that the captain’s motivation was based on race? Is this a historical fact? There are good reasons not to turn around a big paddle wheel boat in the middle of a river.”
The guide said, “No, I just assumed” and apologized. I didn’t have to say anything after that.