George Washington Frees His Slaves in His Will

Pol Light Moment #81 was when George Washington put in his will to have his slaves freed. He died on December 14, 1799. George Washington (1732-1799) was the First President of the United States, serving from 1789-1797. Prior to serving as President he was a military leader when the United States was struggling for it's freedom as a nation.

Washington specified in his Last Will and Testament that all of his slaves would be freed upon his wife's death. However, his wife, Martha Washington freed all his slaves on January 1, 1801, a little over a year after his death (MountVernon.org).

"In addition to ordering their freedom, Washington's Last Will and Testament commanded his heirs to clothe and feed those slaves who were incapable of supporting themselves due to age or infirmity. His estate continued to fulfill this responsibility for over three decades (MountVernon.org)."

In 1786, George Washington expressed his feelings on slavery when he said,"I can only say there is not a man living who wishes more sincerely than I do, to see a plan adopted for the abolition of it (Source - PBS.org)."  The act of freeing one's slaves is called manumission and George Washington accomplished this legally by putting provisions in his Last Will and Testament.

George Washington has been featured in other Pol Light moments and can be found by searching this blog with the George Washington Label.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

The photo of George Washington in this post is in the Public Domain and was obtained on Wikipedia.