Uploaded February 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Who gets to tell the story of our founders? Who decides which stories matter in American history? What role do museums and historic sites play in telling those stories? These questions run through current political and cultural commentary. At James Madison’s Montpelier, the staff and community wrestle with those questions daily. Working with the Montpelier Descendants Community, which represents the descendants of those enslaved by the Madisons, and with other thought leaders across the country, James Madison’s Montpelier has developed new strategies for telling a more inclusive history of where we’ve been as a nation, and what that tells us about where we might be going.
Elizabeth Chew, PhD, will share her insights and experiences leading Montpelier through this path. Join us for a lively and timely conversation about how our past shapes our present.
Elizabeth Chew, PhD is the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of The Montpelier Foundation, which operates James Madison’s historic plantation in Virginia.
Who gets to tell the story of our founders? Who decides which stories matter in American history? What role do museums and historic sites play in telling those stories? These questions run through current political and cultural commentary. At James Madison’s Montpelier, the staff and community wrestle with those questions daily. Working with the Montpelier Descendants Community, which represents the descendants of those enslaved by the Madisons, and with other thought leaders across the country, James Madison’s Montpelier has developed new strategies for telling a more inclusive history of where we’ve been as a nation, and what that tells us about where we might be going.
Elizabeth Chew, PhD, will share her insights and experiences leading Montpelier through this path. Join us for a lively and timely conversation about how our past shapes our present.
Elizabeth Chew, PhD is the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of The Montpelier Foundation, which operates James Madison’s historic plantation in Virginia.
