When George Washington designed Mount Vernon, he strategically placed walls, gardens and rows of trees to keep visitors from encountering the enslaved people who toiled behind the scenes to support his luxurious lifestyle. On two recent visits to the historic plantation, I found that approach is, unfortunately, still alive today. During the mansion tour and in the exhibits, slavery is barely mentioned. It wasn’t until I ferreted out a special exhibit and paid $10 extra for the “Enslaved People of Mount Vernon” tour — open to a maximum of only 50 people a day — that I got a full picture of what life was like on the estate.