The Jeffersons at Shadwell

In this unique perspective that recasts Virginia’s “frontier” history and Thomas Jefferson’s early years, historian Susan Kern uses material culture to explore the social history of Shadwell, the late colonial plantation that was home to Jane and Peter Jefferson, their eight children (including Thomas), and an enslaved workforce of about sixty African-Americans. Kern’s excavations at Shadwell reveal new ways to understand how powerful families maintained social, business, and family connections across Virginia, from the Virginia-North Carolina dividing line to the Northern Neck. Kern’s work also uncovers a network of enslaved families connected among plantations across generations. 

Part of the 2024 Summer Speaker Series "The First Three: From Washington to Jefferson." Tickets $25 per presentation or $65 for the series. Includes wine and cheese reception before the speaker. Kern's book The Jeffersons at Shadwell will be available for purchase. Tickets

Made possible in part by a grant from VA250 Commission in partnership with Virginia Humanities.