In episode three of the Founding Fathers' Legacy Series, Former Washington D.C Mayor Sharon Pratt examines Montpelier, the family home of James Madison and the place that shaped his life. It is a place where he spent countless hours drafting iterations of his vision for a strong national government. It is also a place which embodies the paradoxes of the American Revolution – the fight for liberty while aggressively preserving the practice of slavery.

Sharon Pratt speaks with Dr. Matthew Reeves, Director of Archaeology and Landscape Restoration at Montpelier for over 20 years. Dr. Reeves works to excavate the stories of those who were essential to America's (and certainly Madison's) economic progress.

She also speaks with Dr. Holly Cowan Shulman, who is the Editor of The Dolley Madison Digital Edition at the University of Virginia, the first ever complete edition of Dolley Madison's own correspondence. Her diligent scholarship provides new insights into the Madison’s as partners and their experiences at Montpelier.

Next episode, we will delve into James Madison’s legacy with James French, the Chairman of the Montpelier Foundation Board of Directors and founding Chairman of the Montpelier Descendant Committee.