Slavery in the President's Neighborhood: Stories of Resistance and Perseverance

In commemoration of Black History Month, this episode of White House History Live features two of the Association's graduate fellows, Mia Owens of American University, and Tianna Mobley of Georgetown University, who will discuss their research connected to the Slavery in the President's Neighborhood initiative with Senior Historian Dr. Matthew Costello. Owens will explore the Pearl incident, which took place in April 1848 and is considered the largest attempted escape of enslaved people in Washington, D.C. history. Mobley's presentation digs deeper into First Lady Michelle Obama's famous quote, "I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves," tracing the historical connections between Mrs. Obama's statement and Black women who impacted the White House and its occupants.