Author Talk With John Garrison Marks: "Thy Will Be Done"

As we reflect on 250 years of America's history, we invite you to join us for an impactful and important conversation with historian and author John Garrison Marks.

Marks will discuss his newest work, Thy Will Be Done: George Washington's Legacy of Slavery and the Fight for American Memory (2026), where he tells the story of Americans' long, fraught struggle to come to terms with Washington's legacy of slavery.

The program will lead with a question Americans have reflected on for nearly 250 years: How should we remember George Washington's entanglement in slavery?

Using research foundational to Thy Will Be Done, Marks will speak to Washington's ties to slavery, and how the actions seen in his life's work have shaped and reshaped Americans' collective memory of Washington and slavery — along with their understanding of the nation.

The program will include a discussion with Heather Bruegl (Oneida/Stockbridge-Munsee), Curator of Political and Civic Engagement at The Henry Ford, and be followed by a brief audience Q&A and book signing, with the opportunity to purchase a copy of Thy Will Be Done.

In Thy Will Be Done: George Washington's Legacy of Slavery and the Fight for American Memory, historian John Garrison Marks tells the story of Americans' long, fraught struggle to come to terms with Washington's legacy of slavery. He traces how politicians, abolitionists, educators, activists, Washington's former slaves and their descendants, and others have remembered, forgotten, and manipulated slavery's place in Washington's story, and how they have wielded versions of that story in the political and cultural fights of their time. Marks shows how generational struggles over our collective memory of Washington and slavery have always been part of a bigger conversation about defining the United States and its people. As debates about the founders' participation in the system of slavery continue to roil public discourse, Marks shows with new clarity that Americans have never collectively reconciled Washington's conflicted legacy. By truly grappling with Washington's role as enslaver and emancipator, we may come to better understand the nation and ourselves.

John Garrison Marks is a historian and writer whose work explores race, slavery, memory, and public history in the United States. He is the author or editor of three books, most recently Thy Will Be Done: George Washington's Legacy of Slavery and the Fight for American Memory. His writing has appeared in TIME, Washington Post, and Smithsonian Magazine. Marks also serves as the Director of the Public History Research Lab at the American Association for State and Local History leading research, leadership initiatives, and special projects. He earned his Ph.D. in History from Rice University. He is a native of New Jersey and currently lives outside of Washington, D.C.

The event is free to the public, but registration is required. Seats are limited.

There is a maximum of six registrants per entry. Registrants will receive confirmation and event reminders via email. Please show these confirmations upon entry to the event.

Registration will close if capacity is reached.

Doors to Anderson Theater will open at 1:30 p.m. The program will begin at 2 p.m. and will be followed by a brief Q&A and book signing.

This is a free public event; museum admission is not required.

Free parking is available in the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation lot off Oakwood Boulevard near the museum Welcome Center. The Clocktower entrance on the brick circle drive may be used for pickup/drop-off for guests needing special assistance.

Please note that parts of Oakwood Boulevard may be impacted by construction. Be prepared for traffic delays or detours. We apologize for any inconvenience.

The Henry Ford is committed to making our events accessible to everyone.

• Anderson Theater's main floor is fully accessible. The second floor balcony is accessible via stairs only.
• This event will be ASL interpreted.

If you require an additional accommodation or service to fully participate, please contact our accessibility team via email at accessibility@thehenryford.org.

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