Presidential Historian Richard Norton Smith reflects on the evolution of George Washington’s character, examining how his parents, peers, marriage, and military experience helped shape his personality.

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Each week, American History TV’s American Artifacts takes viewers behind the scenes at archives, museums, and historic sites. This week, we visit George Washington’s Mount Vernon where recent archaeological discoveries have led to a new understanding and interpretation of his garden – and of Washington as a gardener.

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Author and lecturer Peter Henriques speaks at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, about the documented experiences of George Washington’s slaves.

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A look behind the scenes at the recreated George Washington Distillery as an apple brandy is made. American History TV spoke to Dennis Pogue, Vice President in charge of conservation at Mount Vernon and author of "Founding Spirits: George Washington and the Beginnings of the American Whiskey Industry."

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Author and history professor David Hackett Fischer discusses the problems that faced George Washington and the tactics and strategies the first President used to address those challenges.

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To mark George Washington's birthday, the American Enterprise Institute hosted a gathering of political thinkers to consider the presidency and legacy of our nation's first chief executive. Among the topics discussed are Washington's Farewell Address and the many precedents he set for his successors, including what many historians believe to be his most lasting legacy -- his decision to relinquish power after only two terms in office.

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50 years ago, on April 16, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” while being held in prison for his involvement in a city-wide civil rights protest called the Birmingham Campaign. King’s daughter, Bernice King, CEO of the King Center in Atlanta, joins Alabama’s governor, Birmingham’s Mayor and others for the unveiling of a historical marker aside the Birmingham Jail.

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This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Birmingham civil rights campaign. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his famed “Letter from Birmingham Jail” after being arrested for taking part in the protests. The campaign gained national attention after local officials used dogs and water cannons on kids after they took to the streets in what was known as the “Children’s Crusade.” A panel of authors and historians recall the turmoil of the time, as well as how Birmingham has chosen to remember its past. This event was part of the Alabama Historical Association’s annual conference.

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At the direction of Congress, the voices and experiences from the Civil Rights Movement of the mid-20^th century are being documented in an oral history project. This effort is a collaboration of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture, the Library of Congress and the Southern Oral History Program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

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