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STORIES

Virginia’s history is profoundly enriched with the remarkable stories of some of its most illustrious manumitters, individuals who made the extraordinary choice to emancipate the enslaved people under their ownership. At the forefront of these narratives stands George Washington, the revered Founding Father and first President of the United States. In his last will and testament, Washington carefully stipulated provisions for the liberation of the slaves he owned, with their freedom to be realized upon the passing of his wife, Martha Washington. Martha herself played a pivotal role in this journey, signing a deed of manumission to free her late husband’s slaves in advance of her own death. Furthermore, the annals of Virginia history also feature the compelling story of John Randolph of Roanoke, a prominent figure in the Southern aristocracy. Despite his own significant holdings, Randolph grappled with the morality of slavery throughout his lifetime. In his last will and testament, amid legal disputes and controversies, he bequeathed freedom to all 400 of his enslaved individuals, alongside detailed plans for their resettlement in Ohio. These accounts of manumission serve as poignant reminders of the complexities and moral dilemmas faced by those who sought to unshackle the bonds of slavery in Virginia, leaving an indelible mark on the state’s history.