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“Life, Liberty & Happiness” Lecture Series

Life, Liberty, and Happiness: A Panel Discussing the Constitution and Religious Freedom

In partnership please join James Madison’s Montpelier and The Valentine Museum as we explore religious freedom, democracy, and the U.S. Constitution. In this second segment of a three part series, Eola Dance will guide a discussion of faith and practice, equal protection under the law, and our shared responsibility in telling “whole  history.” Distinguished panelist Chief Keith Anderson (Nansemond Indian Nation) will illuminate the long journey to religious freedom for Native American Nations and citizens; joined by Rev. Larry Walker (Montpelier Descendants Committee) we will explore the ways in which faith, perseverance, and spirituality sustained generations of descendants of the enslaved as Piedmont VA “landkin” sharing in connection to this cultural landscape; and we welcome American slavery, law, and religious studies scholar Paul Finkelman (PhD) who will provide depth of insight into the U.S. Constitution and the protection of religious freedom past and present.

Life, Liberty & Happiness: New Perspectives on Founding Ideas is a collaboration between James Madison’s Montpelier and the Valentine First Freedom Center that explores the evolution and contemporary relevance of America’s founding philosophies and highlights scholars whose work contributes to reinterpreting what “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” means today.

Location: James Madison’s Montpelier, David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center, Grand Salon

Montpelier is a memorial to James Madison and the Enslaved Community, a museum of American history, and a center for constitutional education that engages the public with the enduring legacy of Madison’s most powerful idea: government by the people.

The Valentine First Freedom Center is located at the site where the Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom was signed in 1786. It celebrates this important history by exploring the past, present and future of freedom of conscience in America.

Meet the Panel

Moderator: Eola Lewis Dance
Eola Lewis Dance has served as a public historian for 22 years with the federal government and in the nonprofit world over the past year. Recently appointed President and CEO of The Montpelier Foundation, Eola’s career work demonstrates a commitment to the preservation of cultural landscapes, historic buildings, and the documentation and interpretation of untold stories essential in telling the “unvarnished truth” of the making of America. A recognized leader in descendant community engagement, Eola has led global, national, and Virginia initiatives exploring topics of freedom, race, gender, and class through research, preservation, and storytelling. Eola received a BA in History from Southern University and A&M College, an MA in Historic Preservation from Savannah College of Art and Design, and a graduate certificate in Environmental Policy from The George Washington University. Eola is a Ph.D. candidate at Howard University focused on Colonial Slavery and is Co-Founder of Kinfolkology. In her free time, Eola can be found exploring nature trails with her three sons, jogging, doing yoga, or painting.

Panelists:

Keith Anderson, Chief – Nansemond Indian Nation
Keith F. Anderson is an enrolled citizen of the Nansemond Indian Nation and serves as the tribe’s principal chief and executive officer.  As one of seven federally recognized tribes in the Commonwealth, the Nation’s service area includes Suffolk,Portsmouth, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Newport News, Hampton, and Isle of Wight. Prior to his current leadership role, Chief Anderson served as assistant chief and as the Nation’s environmental program coordinator. In this capacity, he cultivated dynamic relationships with local, state and federal officials, strengthening his life-long interest in environmental justice.

Chief Anderson currently serves as co-chair of the VirginiaTribal Education Consortium (VTEC). Founded in 2019, the organization focuses on obtaining educational and vocational opportunities for Virginia’s tribal community and ensuring that indigenous history is accurately and respectfully taught throughout the state’s school systems. Chief Anderson is also utilizing his vast array of skill sets serving as board trustee and tribal liaison for the Fort Monroe Authority, Chesapeake Conservancy, and William and Mary American Indian Studies department.

Chief Anderson has committed the majority of his life in honoring the enduring traditions of American Indians across the globe and is a community leader who is “forged by tradition and thrives in the modern world.” He is an accomplished cultural presenter and the executive director of Red Crooked (Crook-ed) Sky American Indian Dance Troupe. With a core group of family members and friends, Chief Anderson co-founded RCS in 2006. Under his guidance and management, the organization has been featured at nearly 200 venues across the United States and Canada.  Some highlights include: the John F. Kennedy Center, Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. Strengthening their reputation as dynamic presenters, Chief Anderson and the troupe have been featured in a variety of publications, art works, documentaries, and film projects.

Chief Anderson holds a B.A. in Health Administration and Sports Sciences from the University of Richmond and is pursuing a certification in non-profit management. For over 30 years, Chief Anderson has served as a career parks and recreation professional and high school football coach for the City of Virginia Beach. He currently lives in Portsmouth, Virginia with his two devoted sons – Kameron and Kalen.

Rev. Larry Walker, President – Montpelier Descendants Committee
Reverend Lawrence “Larry” E. Walker is a church pastor and administrator in Columbia, Maryland, particularly focused on youth education and community empowerment. He currently serves as the Deputy Pastor and Chief-of Staff at Celebration Church at Columbia, the largest Black congregation in Howard County, Maryland. He has served in his current role since 2

005.

Rev. Walker’s career has focused on improving the lives of African American residents. Under Rev. Walker’s leadership, Celebration Church has made a tremendous impact on the community. He set up a partnership with the local school system

which provided students with greater access to the extensive programs and support services offered by the church. As the President of the African American Community Roundtable of Howard County, Rev. Walker established the organization as a leading voice in the community. For decades he’s been a leader addressing racial inequalities in education, health, diversity, equity and inclusion, economic opportunities, policing and transportation. He served on the Board of the Community Foundation of Howard County, and on the county Board of Education in 2014. Service to others is at his core, volunteering in several capacities within the community and school system, including President of Parents of African American Students, Co-chair Operating Budget Review Committee, Redistricting Committee and Community Advisory Council.

Rev. Walker has received several awards for his public service and civic involvement, such as the statewide Parent Involvement Matters Award (2008) awarded by a collaboration between Comcast and the Maryland State Department of Education. Larry is a Life Member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and served as the National Director of Sigma Beta Clubs. He received his B.S. in Business, Management, Marketing and Related Support Services from Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical College at Baton Rouge in 1981. He is a proud descendant of Benjamin McDaniel of Montpelier (1790-1875) and serves on the Montpelier Descendants Committee Board of Directors. 

Paul Finkelman, PhD – Marquette University
Paul Finkelman is the Boden Visiting Professor of Law at Marquette Law School. He has previously taught at Duke, LSU, Pittsburgh, and Albany law schools, and held the Fulbright Research Chair in Human Rights and Social Justice at the University of Ottawa. He received his BA in American studies from Syracuse University, his MA and PhD in U.S. history from the University of Chicago, and was later a fellow in law and humanities at Harvard Law School. 

The Supreme Court of the United States has cited him six times in cases involving religious liberty, affirmative action, and the Bill of Rights.  He has also been cited and quoted by many other state and federal courts.  He is currently writing a book on Freedom of Speech and Civil Rights of Yale University Press.  Harvard University Press published his most recent major book, Supreme Injustice:  Slavery in the Nation’s Highest Court.  He has written extensively on James Madison, the Constitutional Convention, the Bill of Rights, and Freedom of Speech and Religion in American history.

He is the author of about two hundred scholarly articles and the author or editor of more than fifty books. He was the John Hope Franklin Visiting Professor of American Legal History at Duke Law School and held the Ariel F. Sallows Chair in Human Rights at the University of Saskatchewan. He has taught and lectured in almost every American state, across Canada, and in China, Colombia, France, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Japan, Poland, and the United Kingdom. In 2008 he gave the Nathan I. Huggins Lectures at the W.E.B. DuBois Center for African American Studies at Harvard University. In 2014 he spoke at the United Nations on issues of human trafficking. 

He is an expert in American and world slavery, constitutional law, civil liberties, religious liberty, African American history, American Jewish history, and legal issues surrounding baseball. Professor Finkelman was the chief expert witness in the Alabama Ten Commandments monument case and in the lawsuit over who owned Barry Bonds 73rd home run ball.

Date
Apr 27, 2024
Expired!
Time
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Cost

$15 PER PERSON (MEMBERS, FIRST NATION AND DESCENDANT DISCOUNT CODE AVAILABLE)
Location
David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center
David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center
11350 Constitution Highway, Montpelier Station, VA 22957
Website https://www.montpelier.org/venues/david-m-rubenstein-visitor-center/

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Why did James Madison have a temple in his front yard? He didn’t come here to pray– it wasn’t that kind of temple. Maybe it reminded him of the ancient Roman temple where the “flame of Liberty” was kept burning. But what does “liberty” mean? Does it mean that you can do anything you want? Whenever you want? Of course not! Can you imagine a whole country of people doing whatever they want? Imagine how quickly things would get out of control!

Things were getting out of control after the colonies broke away from the King of England during the American Revolution. The new states didn’t have a good system to govern themselves. They needed a rulebook. They needed a constitution.

Enter James Madison. He read lots of books right here at Montpelier that gave him ideas about the rules that other countries played by, if they didn’t have a king. Madison went to Philadelphia and worked with people from many different states to write a Constitution. His ideas were so helpful that now he is known as the “Father of the Constitution.”

What does the Constitution say about who makes the rules? Instead of a king, it’s “We The People.” The Constitution gives citizens the FREEDOM to govern themselves, to choose their own leaders, and to make their own laws and rules. The Constitution also protects the people’s rights like freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press.

At first the Constitution didn’t allow everyone to participate in government, but over the past 240 years, Americans have made changes — things called Amendments– that let more people have rights, and vote, and run for office. Now “We the People” means just about “All the People!”

The United States Constitution is the modern world’s longest lasting Constitution, and many countries have used it as a model when they wrote their own Constitutions . And just think: it all began right here, on this plantation, Montpelier. That’s how Montpelier made its mark on the world!

Madison was the 4th President, but can you guess six other Presidents who came to Montpelier?

Madison’s best friends were Presidents 3 and 5. Maybe you’ll visit their homes, Monticello and Highland. Who were they? … Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe!

President Number 7 visited Montpelier in 1832. Someone in your family might have his picture right now – he’s on the $20 bill. Who was he? … Andrew Jackson!

Three other Presidents visited Montpelier after Madison’s lifetime. They might be harder to guess, but let’s give it a try.

President Number 19 came in 1878, and gave a speech in praise of Madison and the Constitution. In fact, his last name rhymes with “praise.” Any guesses?… Rutherford B. Hayes!

President Number 26 came to Montpelier on Thanksgiving Day 1907, when the duPonts lived here. A toy bear is named for him. Who was he? … Teddy Roosevelt!

And finally, President Number 41 came here in 1991 for the 200th anniversary of the Bill of Rights. His son was a President too. Can you guess? … George H. W. Bush!

That’s a lot of Presidents who made their mark on Montpelier. And today you’re here! Now you’re part of Montpelier’s story too.

Sometimes the people who lived at Montpelier chose to make their mark, but other times they were forced to make their mark. From the time President Madison’s grandparents came to Montpelier, it was a plantation––a huge farm–where enslaved people of African descent grew crops like tobacco, wheat, and corn and did many other jobs to make money for the Madison family. People who were enslaved had many skills and worked hard, but they didn’t get the benefit.

It was not only enslaved adults that labored for the Madisons, but enslaved children were also forced to do a lot of different tasks such as gathering firewood, helping in the kitchens, hauling water, cleaning stables, and… making bricks. Look at this huge house in front of you— each and every one of these bricks was made one at a time, by hand. On plantations, brick-making was often a task given to enslaved children. They pressed wet clay into rectangular-shaped molds. Then the bricks were left in the sun to “bake,” and once enough bricks were made they “fired” them to harden them. Have you ever pressed your fingers into wet clay? What happens when you do that? Your fingerprints make a mark. That’s exactly what happened here when enslaved people were making bricks to build this house. As you walk around the house, see if you can find any fingerprints in the bricks. These fingerprints remind us that nearly 300 enslaved people, of all ages, made their mark on Montpelier.

Since enslaved adults and children did most of the work at Montpelier, they didn’t have a lot of time for fun. What did they do when they did have a little time to themselves? Archaeologists found artifacts – marbles, doll parts, and toy wagon wheels – that tell us that enslaved children sometimes played with toys. Other artifacts, like musical instruments called jaw harps, tell us that enslaved people made music. Many of the activities that enslaved people probably enjoyed, like storytelling or dancing, didn’t leave artifacts in the ground.

The Madisons had much more time to themselves. Written records describe one of their favorite ways to have fun: parties.

Dolley Madison wrote about a barbecue picnic that she and James hosted on the 4th of July 1816. Ninety guests sat at tables set up on the lawn by enslaved people. Enslaved waiters served them roasted meats and punch, and most likely, fresh vegetables from the garden.

We don’t have a written account of what enslaved people had to do to get ready for that party, but historians found one written account that gives us a clue. In 1824, the famous General Lafayette visited Montpelier. A young enslaved maid named Ailsey Payne was there. Years later, she gave a newspaper reporter her eyewitness account. She saw so many horse drawn carriages she could hardly count them. Young enslaved men rode and led the horses. Enslaved people stored all kinds of food and meat in the icehouse. Ailsey Payne helped clean every inch of the House and shined all of the glass, silver, and china.

Ailsey Payne left her mark on Montpelier by telling her story! Will you tell someone about your visit?

Have you ever been asked to “sweep the floor?” Maybe it’s your chore to sweep up the crumbs that fall to the floor after dinner (if you don’t have a dog to do it for you). But have you ever been asked to “sweep the yard?” Archaeologists at Montpelier believe that enslaved people who lived here did just that! They used brooms to sweep away all of the grass and weeds. The ground would have been like a smooth, hard, clay floor.

Sweeping the yard cut down pests and unwanted creatures like ticks, mice, and snakes. It was a natural way of getting rid of pests that ruined food or caused disease.

The building in front of you was once a kitchen. Enslaved cooks labored here from long before sunup to long after sundown to prepare meals for the Madison family and their guests. They could build their hot cooking fires outside in the swept yard so that the work was more tolerable.

Except for the two smokehouses, the buildings here were homes for enslaved families who mostly worked inside the Madisons’ House. Their homes could be crowded, dark, and unbearably hot in summer. Having a smooth, swept yard allowed them to move many of their indoor activities outdoors. Imagine how busy this place would have been!

The ancestors of enslaved people at Montpelier had also swept their yards in Africa.They passed their wisdom along to their descendants. This is just one example of how enslaved people and their ancestors left their mark on Montpelier.

Do you have pets?

The Madisons had a pet parrot named Polly, but most of the animals at Montpelier weren’t pets – they were working animals. Horses pulled plows that made the ground ready for planting wheat or corn. Horses also pulled wagons, loaded with barrels of Montpelier tobaccos or wheat flour, to market in Fredericksburg and Richmond, and brought supplies back. Aleck was an enslaved wagoner who drove and cared for the horses. On one trip to Fredericksburg, Aleck had to borrow 50 cents to go to the blacksmith for new horseshoes so the horses could make the trip back.

Besides horses, there were cows and sheep and pigs at Montpelier. Some animals were raised for food. Sheep were also raised for their woolly coats. Enslaved women spun the wool into yarn or thread, and weavers like Reuben, Amy, and Harriet wove it into cloth.

James Madison wanted to improve the American breeds of cows and sheep. He bought some Merino sheep, because their wool was so good. A friend gave him some Devon calves as a gift, because they were a better breed of cows.

Animals made their mark at Montpelier – and so did the people who worked with them and took care of them!

How do we know what we know about the past? We can’t ask the people who used to live here— they’re long gone. We have to piece together clues from “primary sources”— letters, journals, diaries, paintings, and newspapers. History is kind of like a giant jigsaw puzzle— as we put the pieces together, a picture of the past emerges!

The very first people to live at Montpelier were Native Americans, or Indigenous people. They didn’t leave written records behind, but they did leave artifacts– objects that were made or shaped or used with their own hands. People who study artifacts are called archaeologists. Montpelier’s archaeologists have discovered artifacts that are about 2000 years old. That tells us that Indigenous people were here, thousands of years before the Madisons, or enslaved people, ever set foot on this land.

The Manahoac tribe were the native people living on this land just before the Madisons arrived here. Artifacts show us that the Manahoac made their mark by making their homes here for periods of time. The artifacts found near President Madison’s house, and near his grandparent’s house at Mount Pleasant–objects such as ceramics, stone tools, and projectile points— show us that the Manahoac thought these were good places to live too.

Did you know that there are descendants of Manahoac people living and making their mark in Virginia today? They are now part of the Monocan tribe, one of the 7 Federally recognized tribes in Virginia.

Some of the people that left their mark on Montpelier are buried here in the Madison family Cemetery. Can you guess which of these gravestones marks the final resting place of James Madison? It’s the tallest monument, and it’s called an obelisk. Today it’s easy to spot Madison’s grave, but if you visited Montpelier in the first 20 years after his death, you wouldn’t know where he was buried unless you were a member of his family. James Madison passed away on June 28, 1836, and two days later, he was buried here, in an unmarked grave.

Why would a president of the United States be buried in an unmarked grave? Today we usually place a marker at the head of a grave, but in the 1700s and 1800s people didn’t always do that, especially in a family cemetery where everyone knew where their family members were buried. If you count the gravestones you’ll find that there are about 30, but we know there are about 100 Madison family members buried here.

It wasn’t until 20 years later that people, outside of the Madison family, decided to place the large gravestone to honor the “Father of the Constitution.” Now, ready for a creepy story? Before placing the gravestone, a deep foundation had to be dug to a depth below James Madison’s coffin. “The boards placed above the coffin had decayed…and the coffin lid was slightly out of place…” so the men digging the foundation opened the coffin lid and “looked in upon the remains…” of James Madison!

Some people made their mark at Montpelier by leaving it.

Anthony was just 17 years old when he decided to make his escape from Montpelier. He had been enslaved here all his life, working in the Madisons’ house, and he was ready to take a big risk for freedom. James Madison’s father placed an ad in the newspaper to say that Anthony had escaped. The ad said that Anthony had light hair and gray eyes, and it described his coats, pants, striped overalls, hat, and buckled shoes. The ad offered a reward for capturing Anthony.

Anthony didn’t want to be caught, so he told people his name was Robert Jones. But one year after he escaped, Anthony was found, about 70 miles from Montpelier. He told the men who captured him that he had traveled to port cities in Virginia, to Philadelphia, and even the West Indies.

But the very next day, Anthony escaped again. He managed to get papers that said he was a free man named Billy Willis. There was a rumor that he was heading to Philadelphia. The Madisons never heard from him again. What happened next is a mystery. But Anthony left his mark by taking a big risk for freedom.

The duPont Family bought Montpelier in 1901 and made many changes to the House and the property. Did you see the racetrack on your way in today? You might even have seen some horses!

Marion duPont Scott loved horses and horse racing. She helped make Montpelier one of the most important horse training centers in America. When three of her favorite horses passed away, she had them buried here and put up these markers to remember them.

Perhaps her favorite horse was Battleship. He was so small that people called him the “American Pony,” but Marion DuPont Scott knew that he had big talent. She sent him across the ocean to race in the British “Grand National,” an important steeplechase race that is still run today. The race is over 4 miles long, and the horses have to jump 30 fences! Many people thought that a small horse like Battleship couldn’t possibly win, but in 1938 he surprised them all! To this day, he is still the smallest horse ever to win the British Grand National. You might say that Battleship left his hoofprints on the history of horse racing!

Marion duPont Scott left another mark on Montpelier. She wanted to share Montpelier and its story with everyone. Thanks to her, you can visit Montpelier today!

Lots of people made their mark on Montpelier. But there are two people you might already know: James and Dolley Madison!

How did James Madison make his mark? He was a Virginia lawmaker, a US Congressman, the Secretary of State, and our 4th President! (Not all at the same time.)

But most importantly, Madison was “Father of the Constitution” and “Architect of the Bill of Rights.” He didn’t write those documents all by himself, but he shared lots of good ideas that still help us govern our country. Madison got his ideas from reading books right here at Montpelier, and he made notes to take to the Constitutional Convention.

Madison could spend so much time in public service because his family had money from owning this plantation. The Madisons enslaved people who grew crops and tended animals. The enslaved people didn’t have much choice about being here, but their hard work made Madison’s career possible. The enslaved people made their mark as the “invisible Founders” of our country.

Dolley Madison made her mark too. James was shy and quiet, but Dolley liked to bring people together for dinners and parties, especially in Washington, DC. That made it easier for James to connect with other people in government.

As you explore Montpelier, see what else you’ll find out about people making their mark!

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