A new exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture focuses on our 3rd president’s writings and actions about slavery. Although he frequently wrote and spoke about his wish that slavery should be abolished, he had as many as 600 slaves on his Monticello, Virginia, estate.

Thomas Jefferson never freed any of his slaves until in his will he granted freedom to just a few. Monticello continued to flourish with slave labor until 50 years after his death, when all were freed as a result of the Civil War.

The exhibit, called Paradox of Liberty, is located at the National Museum of American History on the Capitol city’s Mall. It contains artifacts from the Jefferson estate, include chains, farming tools, records of slave purchases and other items of interest.

Jefferson's Monticello estate managers also recently opened a similar exhibit, The Landscape of Slavery: Mulberry Row. For more information, go to monticello.org and nmaahc.si.edu/