TAKE ACTION!

1. Follow and support the Montpelier Descendants Committee on Twitter (don’t forget to use the hashtag #FreeMontpelier).

2. Follow James Madison’s Montpelier on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) and remind them of the need to change executive leadership and bring back the terminated and furloughed staff. 

3. Let your voice be heard in the comments section of news coverage.

MDC Press Releases (from most to least recent):

• Press release from the Montpelier Descendants Committing announcing that the Montpelier Foundation voted to elect 11 new MDC-endorsed members, achieving board parity (May 16, 2022)
• Press release from the Montpelier Descendants Committee announcing a slate of twenty incredible candidates for The Montpelier Foundation board (April 28, 2022)
• Press release of the Montpelier Descendants Committee on the Montpelier CEO firing employees (April 18, 2022)
• Press release of the Montpelier Descendants Committee on the Board voting to abandon shared governance promise (March 28, 2022)

Press (from most to least recent):

• Associated Press: “Madison estate rehires staff let go during recent turmoil,” (June 5, 2022) (also appears in the Washington Post, Bloomberg, and CBS 6 News)
• Culpeper Star-Exponent: “James Madison’s Montpelier rehires staff fired, suspended by ex-CEO,” by Clint Schemmer (June 3, 2022)
• Hyperallergic: “Montpelier CEO Resigns As Descendants of the Enslaved Get a Seat at the Table,” by Elaine Velie (May 29, 2022)
• The Orange County Review: “From fired to rehired, Elizabeth Chew named interim Montpelier president and CEO,” by Hilary Holladay (May 27, 2022)
• Southern Poverty Law Center: “Justice Prevails: Descendants of enslaved people at historic plantation win bruising battle to tell their stories,” by Rhonda Sonnenberg (May 27, 2022)
• ABC 8 News: “Fired Montpelier staffer returns to lead the founding father’s home,” by Jakob Cordes (May 26, 2022)
• Culpeper Star-Exponent: “Montpelier Foundation board chooses new leaders for presidential home,” by Clint Schemmer (May 25, 2022) (also appears in the Free Lance-Star)
• WINA.com: “Montpelier Foundation Board installs new leadership,” (May 23, 2022)
• C-Ville: “Above board,” by Courteney Stuart (May 18, 2022)
• The Daily Progress: “Opinion/Editorial: Time to rehire and return to work at Montpelier,” (May 17, 2022)(also appears in the Culpeper Star-Exponent)
• The Free Lance-Star: “Editorial: Miracles can happen when sunlight is let in,” (May 17, 2022)
• Associated Press: “Montpelier Foundation elects 11 descendants of slaves,” (May 17, 2022)(also appears in Time, The Daily Press, and the San Francisco Chronicle)
• The Black Enterprise: “Slaves’ Descendants will Share Power with White Board Members at Montpelier, James Madison’s Virginia Estate,” by Derek Major (May 17, 2022)
• The Black Chronicle: “Slaves’ Descendants Will Share Power With White Board Members At Montpelier, President James Madison’s Estate,” (May 17, 2022)
• CBS 19 News: “Montpelier announces newest members of Foundation’s Board of Directors,” (May 17, 2022)
• The Washington Post: “In reversal, Montpelier appoints directors from descendants of the enslaved,” by Gregory S. Schneider (May 16, 2022)
• The New York Times: “At Montpelier, Slaves’ Descendants Will Share Power With White Board Members,” by Alyssa Lukpat (May 16, 2022)
• Culpeper Star-Exponent: “In reversal, Madison’s Montpelier shares governance with slaves’ descendants,” by Clint Schemmer (May 16, 2022)(also appears in The Daily Progress)
• ABC 8 News: “James Madison’s Montpelier fulfills promise of representation for descendants of enslaved people,” by Jakob Cordes (May 16, 2022)
• CBS 19 News: “Montpelier board votes for new members,” (May 16, 2022)
• Culpeper Star-Exponent: “Montpelier Foundation appoints 11 nominees from Descendants Committee,” (May 16, 2022) (also appears in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Free Lance-Star, and The Roanoke Times)
• The Washington Post: “Opinion: Montpelier: A model for reconciliation in peak polarization,” by James French (May 16, 2022)
• The Daily Progress: “Opinion/Letter: Rehire fired Montpelier staff,” by NAACP Culpeper Branch and Orange County Branch (May 14, 2022)
• The Daily Progress: “Opinion/Letter: Share power, reinstate employees,” by the Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP Executive Committee (May 8, 2022)
• The Washington Post: “Opinion: A revanchist assault on racial reforms in Virginia,” by the Editorial Board (May 4, 2022)
• C-Ville: “Luminaries jump into the fray,” by Courteney Stuart (May 4, 2022)
• The Daily Progress: “National Trust tells Montpelier board to seat nine MDC nominees immediately and without condition,” by Hilary Holladay (May 2, 2022)
• Culpeper Star-Exponent: “Editorial: Time for Montpelier to add to its board, share power with Descendants Committee,” by The Daily Progress (April 30, 2022)
• CBS 19 News: “MDC submits names for consideration for Montpelier board post,” (April 29, 2022)
• The Daily Progress: “Editorial: Time for Montpelier to add to its board and share power,” by Jim Spencer (April 29, 2022)
• Washington Post: “Opinion: Changes at Montpelier work against repairing the wounds of slavery,” by Stephen P. Hanna, Derek H. Alderman, and Amy E. Potter (April 29, 2022)
• NewsRadio WINA: “Montpelier Descendants Committee Nominates 20 for Consideration to the Board,” by Courteney Stuart (April 28, 2022)
• NewsRadio WINA: “Montpelier Descendants Committee submits nominees for the historic attraction’s board of directors,” (April 28, 2022)
• Culpeper Star-Exponent: “Descendants at Madison’s Montpelier name 20 candidates for foundation board,” by Clint Schemmer (April 28, 2022)
• NBC 29 News: “Montpelier Descendants,” by Max Marcilla (April 28, 2022)
• The Daily Progress: “Letter: Open letter to Montpelier CEO,” by Bill Speiden (April 27, 2022)
• C-Ville: “Montpelier goes fued-al,” by Courteney Stuart (April 27, 2022)
• Culpeper Star-Exponent: “Montpelier staff fears more retaliation, vows to fight on for enslaved people’s descendants,” by Clint Schemmer (April 25, 2022)(also appears in The Daily Progress and The Roanoke Times)
• BET: “Descendants of James Madison’s Slaves Fight for Equal Power of Foundation Overseeing His Former Plantation,” by Nigel Roberts (April 25, 2022)
• The New York Times: “At Madison’s Montpelier, a Fight Over Power for Slaves’ Descendants,” by Michael Levenson (April 22, 2022)
• The Washington Post: “James Madison’s plantation vowed to share power with black descendants. Then things blew up,” by DeNeen L. Brown (April 22, 2022)
• NPR: “Montpelier says it’s open to parity with slave descendants. Descendants cry foul,” Alana Wise (April 20, 2022)(also appears in MPR News, WAMU 88.5/American University Radio, and ncpr)
• ABC 8 News: “Montpelier staff fired amid fight over who should run James Madison’s home,” by Jakob Cordes (April 20, 2022)
• Esquire: “Let’s Not Throw Away the Progress Towards Historical Justice Made at James Madison’s Estate,” by Charles P. Pierce (April 19, 2022)
• Richmond Times-Dispatch: “First, Montpelier reversed its power-sharing promise with descendants of the enslaved. Now, it’s retreating from its history of enslavement,” Michael Paul Williams (April 19, 2022) (also appears in The News & Advance, The Culpeper Star-Exponent, and The Free Lance-Star)
• The Daily Progress: “Editorial: Plantation mentality now rules the day at Montpelier Foundation,” (April 19, 2022)
• Hyperallergic: “Montpelier Fires Staffers Who Advocated for the Descendants of Enslaved People,” by Hakim Bishara (April 19, 2022)
• The Free Lance-Star: “Commentary: Can we reach the promised land?” by Martin Davis, Jr. (April 19, 2022)
• Washington Post: “Montpelier staffers say they were fired for backing descendants group,” by Gregory S. Schneider and DeNeen L. Brown (April 18, 2022)
• Augusta Free Press: “Montpelier Foundation begins purge of whistleblowing employees,” (April 18, 2022)
• Culpeper Star-Exponent: “CEO at Madison’s Montpelier sacks whistleblowing staff; National Trust protests action,” by Clint Schemmer (April 18, 2022)(also appears in The Daily Progress and Bristol Herald Courier)
• NewsRadio WINA: “MDC Calls for Montpelier CEO Resignation,” (April 18, 2022)
• The Free Lance-Star: “National Trust condemns Montpelier Foundation CEO after firing key staffers,” by Clint Schemmer (April 18, 2022) 
• NBC 29 News: “James Madison’s ‘Montpelier’ fires several long-time employees, who claim it was ‘retaliation,'” by Max Marcilla (April 18, 2022) (also appears in WHSV 9 News)
• Washington Post Live: “‘Capehart’ with James French,” (April 14, 2022)
• Richmond Times-Dispatch: “America’s Black museums decry Montpelier’s denying power to descendants of the Madisons’ enslaved,” by Clint Schemmer (April 6, 2022) 
• Richmond Times-Dispatch: “At James Madison’s Montpelier, ‘parity’ for the descendants of the enslaved as stalled,” by Michael Paul Williams (April 6, 2022)
• Washington Post: “Opinion: A slaveholding president’s estate faces a modern racial controversy,” by the Editorial Board (April 5, 2022)
• The Daily Progress: “Montpelier board at impasse with descendants committee,” by Hilary Holladay (April 5, 2022)
• Culpeper Star-Exponent: “Nation’s history professionals deplore move by Madison’s Montpelier to walk back partnership pledge with Black community,” (March 31, 2022)
• C-Ville: “In brief: Montpelier breaks promise, and more,” by Maryann Xue (March 30, 2022)
• NewsRadio WINA: “Montpelier Faces National Backlash From Montpelier Descendants Committee Dispute,” by Courteney Stuart (March 29, 2022)
• NBC 29 News: “Montpelier Foundation revokes Montpelier Descendant Committee from equal say,” by Andrew Webb (March 28, 2022)
• Associated Press: “Montpelier ends power-share with enslaved descendants group,” (March 28, 2022)(also appears in U.S. News and World Report, Richmond Times-Dispatch, NBC 12 News, The Virginian-Pilot, CBS 6 News, amongst others)
• The Daily Progress: “Editorial: Montpelier fights over who controls the slaves’ story,” (March 28, 2022)
• Culpeper Star-Exponent: “James Madison’s Montpelier disempowers slave descendants, breaks promise,” by Clint Schemmer (March 27, 2022)(also appears in the Free Lance-Star and The Daily Progress)
• Augusta Free Press: “Montpelier descendants challenge massive resistance to power-sharing agreement,” (March 25, 2022)
• Washington Post: “James Madison’s Montpelier strips power from enslaved descendants group,” by Gregory S. Schneider (March 25, 2022)

Statements from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Montpelier Staff

• Petition to support the Montpelier Descendants Committee and the Montpelier Staff
• Statement from the National Trust for Historic Preservation congratulating the Montpelier Foundation board on achieving structural parity (May 16, 2022) 
• Statement from the National Trust for Historic Preservation on the slate of nominees for The Montpelier Foundation board (April 28, 2022)
• Statement from Montpelier staff calling for the reinstatement of fired colleagues and full implementation of the parity agreement (April 23, 2022)
• Statement by the National Trust for Historic Preservation condemning actions taken against Montpelier staff (April 18, 2022)
• Protest statement from brave Montpelier staff who have been retaliated against by the Board, including being fired (March 25, 2022)
• Warning letter sent to the Montpelier Foundation Board from the CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation (March 24, 2022)

Organization Statements of Support

• American Alliance of Museums – AAM Statement on The Montpelier Foundation Board and Montpelier Descendants Committee 
• American Anthropological Association – Another Broken Promise
• American Association for State and Local History – AASLH Statement on Montpelier Board and Montpelier Descendants Committee
• Association for Living History, Farm, and Agricultural Museums – Montpelier Statement
• Association of African American Museums – AAAM Investigates Montpelier’s Decision to Strip Power from Enslaved Descendants Group
• Archaeology in the Community – AITC’s Response to James Madison’s Montpelier Foundation Board’s Actions 
• Archaeological Society of New Jersey – Statement of Support
• Council of Maryland Archaeology, Inc. – Statement of Support
• Council of Virginia Archaeologists – COVA Letter of support to The Montpelier Foundation 
• International Coalition of Sites of Conscience – Standing with Montpelier’s Descendant Community
• Middle Atlantic Archaeological Conference – Statement of Support of the Montpelier Descendants Committee
• National Council on Public History – NCPH Statement of support for the Montpelier Descendants Committee and Statement on Termination of Montpelier Staff
• Orange County African American Historical Society – Public Statement Regarding Montpelier Dispute
• Preservation Piedmont – Statement to the Montpelier Foundation Board 
• President Lincoln’s Cottage – We stand with the Montpelier Descendants Committee
• Register of Professional Archaeologists – Statement of Support
• Society of American Archaeology – Statement of the SAA on the Recent Action by the Board of Directors of the Montpelier Foundation and Statement on Staff Dismissals 
• Society for Historical Archaeology – Statement to the Montpelier Foundation
• Southeastern Archaeological Conference – Statement in support of the Montpelier Descendants Committee 
• Virginia Association of Museums – The Virginia Association of Museums Releases Statement on Montpelier 
• Wakasa Memorial Committee – Letter of support