Structural Parity, Descendant Engagement, & Community Archaeology at a Presidential Plantation Site

In 2022, Montpelier achieved structural parity with the Montpelier Descendants Committee (MDC) and in the same year started making plans for the design of a memorial at the Montpelier Burial Ground of the Enslaved (a site containing over 250 burials of the enslaved). These two events were not unrelated and led to an active working relationship between the Montpelier Archaeology Department and the MDC. This achievement in 2022 was the culmination of 20 years of descendant engagement and culture change at a presidential house site. This paper will explore how our two organizations have partnered through the entire archaeological process at one of the most sacred sites on the property and how this working relationship has changed the trajectory of our department.