Stories in the Soil
How the everyday objects unearthed at a historic home can help tell the biggest stories in American history
At Montpelier, the Virginia home of US president James Madison and his wife, Dolley, visitors encounter a bold presentation of the foundational role of slavery in the era of the nation’s birth. Crucial to Montpelier’s success is the involvement of the descendants of those enslaved there in every facet of its mission, from archaeological excavations to historic restorations to the curation of tours and exhibits. Stories in the Soil foregrounds the generations of enslaved laborers and their descendants who built and maintained the estate by redirecting our attention to a handful of material objects, including a piece of quartz, a pair of porcelain vases, a brick wall, and a rusty piece of plowshare. These objects, put in conversation with the landscape, can tell an expansive story about the people who made Montpelier the place that it is. In this innovative history, Lisa Goff explores the material culture of Montpelier and all its inhabitants, discovering hidden connections and bringing the silent testimonies embodied there to light.
- Catherine Allgor, President Emerita of the Massachusetts Historical Society, author of A Perfect Union: Dolley Madison and the Creation of the American NationMaterial culture has entered the narrative of power. For too long, the study of objects has been relegated to the fringes of “real history,” small things not just forgotten but ignored. Goff sets her fascinating study at James Madison’s Montpelier and moves between the nineteenth-century historical context and the present-day practices at this Founding Father’s home. In compelling and new ways, Goff uses crystal, brick, and ceramics, among other materials, to discuss constitutional principles, empire, and, most movingly, the assertion of autonomy and humanity by enslaved people.
- Elijah Gaddis, Auburn University, author of Gruesome Looking Objects: A New History of Lynching and Everyday ThingsLisa Goff's Stories in the Soil adds immeasurably to our understanding of slavery and material culture. More than just a story of one plantation, this book offers unparalleled insight into the objects that inform contemporary and historical understandings of plantation landscapes.
Lisa Goff, Associate Professor of English and American Studies and Director of the Institute for Public History at the University of Virginia, is the author of Shantytown, USA: Forgotten Landscapes of the Working Poor.
