Philip Fendall II: Anti-Slavery in Antebellum Washington

Philip Fendall II was the first child to be born at the Lee-Fendall House and a first cousin of Robert E. Lee, although he held anti-slavery views despite his upbringing. Fendall’s prolific political and legal career, however, placed him on both sides of the slavery debate in Antebellum Washington during the rise of the abolitionist movement. This lecture will examine primary source material, in relation to Fendall’s environment, to determine the extent of his anti-slavery sentiments.

Madeline Feierstein is a docent at the Lee-Fendall House Museum in Alexandria, VA. She is a local historian specializing in Civil War military hospitals and prisons. A founding member of the museum's Civil War Research Team, Madeline created its popular Civil War Hospital Tour and leads projects to document the museum's time as a hospital. Madeline is also a full-time middle and high school history teacher in Fairfax County, VA and a current graduate student at Southern New Hampshire University pursuing a Master's in American History. She works with Dave Heiby at Gravestone Stories, leading tours of the Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex, highlighting individuals buried there who were connected to or owned the Lee-Fendall House.

Tickets are $10 to the general public and free for museum members. Members please call at (703) 548-1789 to reserve your tickets. It is highly recommended to book tickets in advance as space is limited.

(Photo source: Wikimedia)

Host or Publisher Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden