Book Spotlight: Master George’s People by Marfé Ferguson Delano
(Recommended for middle grade and up – but worth the read for all ages)
I usually review teen and adult literature, but this book came to my attention through a teacher friend—and I believe it deserves a wider audience.
We often learn about George Washington as the revered first President and the brilliant general who led America to independence. But what’s rarely taught is what life looked like behind the scenes at his Virginia estate, Mount Vernon—especially for the hundreds of people who lived and worked there in bondage.
In Master George’s People, Delano brings these individuals out of the shadows. Through vivid portraits of cooks, valets, field workers, and more, we get a deeper understanding of what life was like for the enslaved people Washington legally owned, even as he championed the ideals of liberty and independence.
The book doesn’t flinch from hard truths:
- Washington called them “my people,” but they were also considered his property.
- The same founding fathers who declared “all men are created equal” also upheld and benefited from slavery.
What makes this book powerful is that it doesn’t just It lets us hear the voices of those history nearly erased and invites readers to grapple with the full complexity of America’s origins.
This book will likely spark plenty of questions and conversations. It’s a great resource for classrooms, book clubs, or families ready to talk honestly about freedom, justice, and whose stories get told.
Yes, our founding fathers owned slaves.
Mr. Philly Librarian
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