Slavery at Mt. Vernon

https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/slavery/

Overall, this website is rather well laid out. There is a very comprehensive presentation of information that gives insight into both the lives of the Washingtons and the enslaved people that worked and resided on the estate. There are aspects both past and present that are detailed in great detail that range from work, social, and home life of enslaved people to current archival projects and archaeological excavations. 

Accessibility wise this website is rather well thought out with informational videos, easy to read text, and an easily navigable site with clear labeling. Of course since this is a tourist attraction there are certain biases in the information being presented that will not give off the same context that a truly historical work might. 

Since my own topic of interest for our project has been swayed to midwifery of enslaved people I am happy to see that this topic is also discussed in various different ways, including in sections of information and informational videos. 

The overall look of the website is eye appealing and uses color palettes that are reminiscent of colonial vibes. The website is extremely navigable and the separation of topics of interest is useful to understand different dynamics of the estate. 

For historical purposes I think that the large push buttons for buying tickets, where to eat, donate, etc. are rather distracting to those who wish to learn more about the estate. However, for the general public I can understand how this would be helpful if they did wish to visit as it is combined within the historical documentation of the estate. To me, since this is a resource that is heavily focused on the enslavement of African Americans and not the home of George Washington it seems insensitive to have such a large focus on the monetary aspect of the estate.  

For my two primary sources I struggled to find primary sources related to TEK and similar topics and how they were changed due to colonialism. As a result, I switched to a similar, but more readily available topic. I decided on looking for primary sources related to midwifery and enslaved people. Consequently, I found some rather interesting information and a few primary sources that are worth noting. One was a ledger for enslaved people, their duties, and their estimated worth’s, including a midwife. I have learned from the research I did this past week that they were considered an invaluable source to many slave owners. Additionally, I found a primary source that was a watercolor painting depicting a black woman giving birth with the help of an old white woman while civil war soldiers stood around and watched. It was a rather interesting perspective, and it is one that I think could bring up much discussion.

http://collections.gla.ac.uk/#/details/ecatalogue/271505

https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.51275/

How has colonialism affected and changed traditional ecological knowledge? From our readings so far and my own personal interests, I would be very interested in looking at historical documents and their depictions and information of traditional medicinal knowledge in relation to traditional ecological knowledge. Specifically, I would like to look at Michigan traditional ecological knowledge, natural medicinal knowledge, and folklore. For primary sources, I would look at original medical texts, written accounts, and recorded interviews if possible. I think my findings could potentially reframe my research question due to the cultural implications of this knowledge to the people that it pertains to. Materials that I would like to access that are not digitized would be personal collections, diaries, verbal history, and other things that must be sought out rather than found in museums or archives.