Slave passage found at Washington house

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070607/ap_on_re_us/washington_s_slaves;_ylt=AndQMEXsokt3SGyL8OIcvdWs0NUE

Slave passage found at Washington house

By RUBINA MADAN, Associated Press Writer 59 minutes ago

PHILADELPHIA - Archaeologists unearthing the remains of George Washington's presidential home have discovered a hidden passageway used by his nine slaves, raising questions about whether the ruins should be incorporated into a new exhibit at the site.

The underground passageway is just steps from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. It was designed so Washington's guests would not see slaves as they slipped in and out of the main house.

"As you enter the heaven of liberty, you literally have to cross the hell of slavery," said Michael Coard, a Philadelphia attorney who leads a group that worked to have slavery recognized at the site. "That's the contrast, that's the contradiction, that's the hypocrisy. But that's also the truth."

Washington lived and conducted presidential business at the house in the 1790s, when Philadelphia was the nation's capital.

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That's amazing.

As historians they should welcome *all* aspects of the site's history.

They found the foundations of his house and a new basement, where they were expecting to find not much of anything. They're discussing what to do with the entire site, not just the slave passage. This is one of those fortunate cases where the archaeologists were pleasantly surprised by how much they found, and are now trying to determine (with the local authorities and the people who hold the purse-strings) what they can do with what they've found.

If this Coard guy (rhymes with "coward" doesn't it)wins, then dam it, the terrorists win!