On this day, George Washington, the first President of the United States, died at his Mount Vernon estate. In his last will and testament, Washington made a notable provision: he stipulated that the 123 enslaved people he owned outright were to be freed upon the death of his wife, Martha Washington.

However, the story took a powerful turn—Martha Washington freed them earlier, in 1801, reportedly out of fear that they might hasten her death to secure their freedom.

It’s important to note that not all enslaved people at Mount Vernon were freed, as over 150 others were “dower slaves” belonging to the Custis estate (inherited through Martha’s first husband) and could not legally be freed by Washington.

This act made Washington the only founding father to free all his enslaved people through his will.