Meet MVLA’s New African American Interpretation Coordinator

To expand its African American interpretation, Mount Vernon created a new staff position focused on this important area. As Mount Vernon’s first African American interpretation coordinator, Brenda Parker—a long-serving character interpreter—provides expertise and perspective on programs and projects about the enslaved and free blacks who lived at Mount Vernon during George and Martha Washington’s lifetimes. 

“You cannot tell the stories of George Washington and Mount Vernon without telling the stories of the enslaved men and women who lived at Mount Vernon, who have been silenced from the historical record for so long,” said Parker. “I am honored to take on the important work of bringing them into today’s conversations about the past.” 

A talented interpreter and seasoned veteran of the local theater scene, Parker first came to Mount Vernon more than 15 years ago to work as a server at the Mount Vernon Inn. She later took on a different role as a character interpreter, bringing voice to enslaved individuals such as Caroline Branham, a housemaid, and Priscilla, a field worker. Even with her new responsibilities, Parker continues portraying these characters today. 

In addition to reviewing and enhancing current interpretation and programs related to slavery, Parker is creating new programs to engage audiences in different ways. She recently introduced a new character interpretation program titled, “Freedom Skies,” which knits together vignettes about the people who were enslaved by George Washington and the Custis estates, some of whom were granted their freedom on January 1, 1801.

To broaden awareness of Mount Vernon’s research and programming, Parker will forge deeper connections with communities of color, both in the local area and nationwide—including the men and women who descend from the enslaved community at George Washington’s estate. She will also follow trends in museum and public history education, seeking fresh approaches to attracting and engaging diverse audiences in inclusive ways. 

“Our research and scholarship about the topic of slavery has grown substantially in the past few years,” said Vice President for Education K. Allison Wickens, who established this new position. “It’s critical that our educational programming reflects what we now know about the men, women, and children who lived here in bondage, whose lives are sometimes harder to see in the past. Visitors want to hear those stories, and we want to tell them.”