We started history camp today—our trek through Virginia yesterday which we are calling "One Bus, Eight Sites, and Hundreds of Stories." With 20 of our constituents from the public history field in the Philly area, we are exploring the interpretation of history at very varied and potent sites throughout Virginia.

We started the trip at Arlington House in DC, Robert E. Lee's estate on a grand hill overlooking the city. Nary a mention of Lee's complicated life, including his slaveholding, by a jaded and bored park ranger there. She did, however, wax eloquent on minor architectural details and the circumference of hoop skirts.

The day improved enormously once we found our way to the newly restored Frederick Douglass house in a fascinating DC neighborhood that most of us had never even heard of. The rangers there were friendly and full of passion for the place, spinning yarn after yarn of amazing tales about an amazing man. Who knew that he was a tireless advocate for women's rights for much of his later life, and made an eloquent feminist speech on the morning of his last day? Very Cool guy, very cool place!

George and Martha's joint at Mt. Vernon is a beautiful and haunting place, exquisitely maintained by the Mt. Vernon Ladies Association, and with a wide range of success at interpretation. We started with a "slave life" tour that alienated many of us, offering an apologist and defensive tone. They never used a "real whip" at Mt. Vernon to beat their enslaved folks, apparently—just a switch. None of us doubts the difficulty and complexity of telling the story of the Washingtons' slaveholding, but we were left unsettled by any real discussion with emotional content. Wasn't this the social justice issue of the time? Wasn't this about real human atrocity and suffering? Apparently not at Mt. Vernon.

But the house tour was pretty cool—got to see the bed where George died after an epiglottis infection that made him smother to death. A poignant, sad end to a grand life.

Today we're off to Tom Jefferson's big house on the mountain, Monticello, and then more fun sites in the hills. History camp rocks!