Monticello's new bicentennial journal is well-produced and written, but disappointing. While historian John Conway deserves credit for his original narratives, village officials with final say over the book's overall content have reduced it to a promotion for local good ol' boys. We could have seen more (even anything) on the role of people of color in building Monticello, 1804 to present. Apart from paid ads, the only black face in the book is that of Chubby Checker, who once visited.
Why has this administration rendered the local history of blacks, Latinos, Asians and other minorities invisible? For example, the 1810 federal census of the Town of Thompson counted 701 "free white males," 589 "free white females," three "all other persons," and seven categorized as slaves. Slaves were not named in the census since government viewed them as subhuman. These seven were owned by men named Terwilliger, Goodrich, Baronton, Schoonmaker and Foot. Slaves who helped pioneer Monticello labored hard. Why are the stories of these hardy souls not told?
Monticello's historical diversity need not be hidden or ignored. Village residents willing to "speak truth to power" should join in urging less exclusivity in this fall's bicentennial activities than this booklet forebodes.
Tom Rue
Monticello