WE THE PEOPLE
POWER OF PEOPLE AND PLACE
Moving the nation forward requires not just an understanding of where the world is going , but also a firm grip on where our country has been , and ultimately on who we are as Americans . At Montpelier , we ’ re engaging the public in ways that will help elevate and humanize important conversations about identity and governance by looking at everything through the lens of the U . S . Constitution .
Visitors of all ages tour Mr . Madison ’ s library each day , discovering their own personal connection to the place where the framework of our Constitution took shape . Scholars , elected officials , law enforcement officers , teachers and international leaders from 90 nations — more than 45,000 people and counting — learn how to apply the highest law of the land to their everyday jobs at the Robert H . Smith Center for the Constitution .
Meanwhile , the broader narrative of African American history at Montpelier continues to take shape . With the opening of the exhibition “ The Mere Distinction of Colour ” next June , our visitors will experience the history of slavery in a way that balances an understanding of its human realities with both its legal context and its long-term impacts on the African American struggle for equal rights .
All of these efforts require amazing people working across a wide range of disciplines . All of them require a place that inspires us and grounds us . All of them require your continued support .
Sincerely ,
Kat Imhoff President and Chief Executive Officer The Montpelier Foundation
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