The President's Plantation: From Chains to Change (Montpelier)

Join Ken as we uncover the extraordinary journey from slavery to empowerment at Montpelier, the plantation owned by US President James Madison. Discover how, after seven generations of slavery, the descendants of the enslaved turned their tragic past into a beacon of hope and leadership.
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Public Domain Photos from: Library of Congress
CC BY 2.0 Photos from: Flickr User: Mark Levisay, Ron Cogswell
CC BY-SA 3.0Photos from: Wikipedia User: Peter d'Aprix, Billy Hathorn, Doug Coldwell
CC BY-SA 4.0 Photos from: Wikipedia User: Fredlyfish4, Carole J. Buckwalter

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

Thank you so much Ken for bringing this human story to light! Sometimes there’s a lot more to talk about than the architecture and stories like these are not taught on a regular basis.

[@alanpareis734]

Thank you for this one. A story that needs to be told.

[@rayn8740]

Great episode, Ken.

[@tomjpurchase]

I really enjoyed this historical story.

[@David-tm8sl]

So glad the modern additions were removed and the home was returned to it’s original appearance 😊

[@DaleRussell2]

Very interesting, thank you. 👍

[@devonna6171]

My thoughts about this home are, “What a pretty prison,” Shocking history but we need to know. Thank you for sharing.

[@robinhumphrey2692]

Good video. Thanks, Ken!

[@angiemehrtens1320]

Just love this story!

[@katgrey6239]

Without its history, a house/building is just that.....a structure!

[@Bigbird1ist]

Wow Ken, This one was won of your best. Until now I had no idea of this information. Excellent job.

[@sandrashevel2137]

Thank you. Love the history and plantation explanation. ❤

[@dlcalbaugh]

I enjoyed this episode about a real person who did many great things. You tied him into the home but told his story in a great way.

[@suebecker2893]

Thankyou for this history. 😢

[@kennstransky]

Great story!

[@EcceHomo1088]

Fake story lol

[@TheDarkDresser]

Ken, thank you so much for sharing this history with us. You could have just featured this beautiful house and its owners, but you shared its entire history. So glad that Paul died knowing his grandchildren would be free. I will definitely visit Montpelier.

[@megfuchs9425]

I greatly enjoyed this segment! Thanks so much!

[@m.woodsrobinson9244]

Fantastic story and a fantastic house. You really have to go to Montpelier to truly experience it. The scale of the rooms are fantastic. I actually preferred it to Monticello in some ways.

[@queenesther10]

Thanks great video

[@jefflawrentz1624]

I’ve been a couple of times and really enjoyed my visits. The first time the house was mid- restoration. The second time they had the Gilmore log home restored and that is also wonderful to see. Thanks for another fascinating vlog!

[@jonclassical2024]

Loved it Ken, I lived in Reston, VA from 1980-1991 and me and my 3 daughters toured many historic homes in the Mid-Atlantic Region....brings back many memories.

[@zovalentine7305]

Interesting! Thank you for this history.

[@vivaldi1948]

This was a wonderful episode, thank you.

[@goldbars777]

Thank you for this history!🙂

[@user-cl1kl4yz4l]

That was very enlightening and very interesting. Always enjoy this channel never ceases to amaze me.

[@lunchmoney6948]

History is great. Pronunciation is great as well.

[@tinabullis3352]

Love this video!

[@williamtyre523]

Thanks for a great video, an important story that needs to be told. That is the beauty of historic sites, so many rich layers of history to be revealed. I'd love to see another video on the house as I understand it was a huge undertaking with lots of decisions to be made when the house was restored from its DuPont era appearance to the original Madison house.

[@amiejennifer]

love this video

[@Purplefishish]

I love your stuff

[@carolstephens-fortner6887]

Thank you for highlighting this home. I’ve been to Montpelier many times through the years and was able to watch the restoration process. The grounds include a steeplechase track. Or at least it used to.

[@GlennMandeville154]

Ken thank you for an incredible story. It always amazes me how little respect we had for one another during those days. Let's hope we have learned our lesson.

[@Jean-sv6kk]

Awesome ❤❤❤

[@superdougie10]

Hi Mr Ken, Thank you so much for all you do.

[@johnherold7289]

The HISTORY is the best part!

[@felixfuentes8188]

Beautiful Story this is why I think 🤔 History is so important

[@BennyM_]

Fascinating! I wonder what the US would be like if rather than just memorizing boring lists of presidents and dates in school, younger generations were taught the interesting human aspects of life surrounding those people and places. I would have appreciated it, at least.

[@georgiasmalley8984]

Great job on this story.

[@LJB103]

I only visited once when the DuPont wings were still standing and the interior was derelict (or ready for demolition/restoration) except for the 1930's deco lounge. I would like to see it how that the restoration has been completed. However, if this had not been Madison's home I would have liked to have seen the DuPont home restored. Excellent video.

[@karenokeane6461]

Fascinating narrative. Enjoyed this. :)

[@trishc135]

So interesting! Thank you!

[@1JamesMayToGoPlease]

What a disgusting time in our history! It just makes one's blood boil. Thank you for the video :)

[@jaymoroscak4784]

Great video and enjoyed hearing that history. Thank you

[@cmecre8629]

even though i've absorbed many horrific examples of slavery, the idea that humans were property, used as currency, treated like wild animals always feels surreal

[@rickyt3961]

thank you!

[@JayYoung-ro3vu]

We visited Montpelier in 1985, about two years after the trust took over. Yes, the house was a mess in respect to where the historians thought what should be. The faded, pink Georgian was a sight as we exited the woods and onto the steeplechase. I remember a room, added onto the original house, with large pattern black and white tile on the floor with pictures of the Dupont's family dogs on the walls. I hadn't kept up with their progress until PBS special about the Founding Fathers showed to completed restoration. VERY NICE!! By the way Ken, docents at the time called it montpeelyer, not montpeelee-a. S-c-h-o-o-n-e-r is pronounced skooner, not shooner. 😉

[@gregpendrey6711]

Yes Same. In the town by the same name in Idaho it was always Mont pee Lee er. Too funny. The next town was Paris and it was Paris not pa ree. Mormons settled the area.

[@EleanorSloane-fs9rq]

Members of the descendants committee holding a majority of seats on the board of the foundation (museum) is wonderful news! Dolley made some wrong choices.

[@lisadolan689]

Thank you Ken 🙏☺️

[@kathleenadams3770]

Wow thanks for the information….

[@laurielaurie8280]

Very interesting 🙂

[@user-nv6vm1gh4d]

Visited Montpellier this week. They do tell Paul Jennings story. Very interesting.

[@oltedders]

Great story. This wasn't too far off the beaten path of This House. Perhaps a follow-up to have a closer look at the house itself would be in order.

[@mikenixon2401]

Dolly was not the darling as we were deceived to digest? Why am I not surprised. Interesting story and tour, Ken. You are correct, an important story to tell.

[@melissajenniferjones9959]

Dolly.....what a witch!!

[@califdad4]

Actually she was not all that bad but her son basically bankrupted her with his mismanagement and was broke

[@mileshigh1321]

Very interesting history! What an incredible life Mr. Jennings had! Dolly Madison wasn't very nice to say the least! Glad the house and it's history are preserved!

[@Jmittle101]

I used to admire Dolly Madison, now, not so much. :-(

[@ElbowShouldersen]

Very interesting... but who actually deeded the estate to the slave descendants?

[@J0einOK]

Like employees today, the well being and good life of the slave was interwoven with that of the master. Success for the boss must bring a responsibility to share the wealth with those who made it possible. James Madison saw this, but his grandfather didn’t. Jefferson also wanted to free his slaves, but couldn’t get there financially. It feels right that board today is controlled by the descendants of those who labored to make it.

[@SMtWalkerS]

A fascinating story! Paul Jenning's story would make a great mini series. Dolly Madison was a creep, and I want to read more about Daniel Webster after this. Great video!

[@asylumlover]

WHAT DO I THINK OF IT???? WELL, OF COURSE, ANOTHER DEMOLITION FREE ZONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, LONG LIVE "THIS HOUSE"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@christophersmith1155]

thank you for telling the truth about the WASHINGTON portrait . the lie is that Dolly Madison rescued it.

[@StamperWendy]

K sound in schooner

[@masi2975]

After watching this video I fully support reparations.

[@bscottb8]

Are you donating your bank account or just virtue signaling?

[@masi2975]

@@bscottb8 I don’t have any lineage to slave owners. I think those who do should!

[@wrightflyer7855]

Thank you for the history lesson, but the narrator's pronunciation leaves something to ne desired. Montpelier is pronounced MontPEElier as in orange peel. A schooner is pronounced sKooner, not shooner.