— LISTEE'S SPOTLIGHT —

Mary V. Thompson, research historian emerita at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, has demonstrated expertise in early American history for over 40 years. Attaining the title of research historian emerita in 2022 in light of her many decades of service to the historic site, she initially began working for the residence in 1980 as a museum attendant. Over the course of many years, Ms. Thompson has assisted visitors to the Mount Vernon library, such as research fellows and scholars, graduate students, and professors on sabbatical, and has dedicated significant time to educating visitors on the history of the Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens and slavery. In 2019, she published the award-winning book “The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret: Slavery at the Home of George Washington,” inspired by her desire to shed additional light on the topic of slavery and cultivate positive relationships with the descendants of enslaved individuals. She also authored “In the Hands of a Good Providence: Religion in the Life of George Washington” and looks forward to completing more books on Mount Vernon’s animal populations and Martha Washington’s experiences during the Revolutionary War. Ms. Thompson holds a Master of Arts in history, with specialties in early modern Europe and colonial America, from the University of Virginia.