| Yes, George Washington owned slaves. He inherited his first slaves at the age of 11 upon the death of his father. Throughout his life, he owned a significant number of slaves, and by the time of his death in 1799, he held over 300 slaves at his Mount Vernon estate. However, in his will, Washington made provisions for the emancipation of his slaves after the death of his wife, Martha Washington. His views on slavery evolved over time, and he expressed a desire for the institution to end, though he did not take public action to achieve this during his lifetime |
