The Riversdale House Museum in Riverdale Park is gaining attention for its efforts to include a more comprehensive view of how slavery worked at the historic estate.

Executive Director Maya Davis, who started in March of last year, was recently profiled by DCist for her efforts to show the lives of the 55 enslaved people who worked at the mansion.

That includes hanging a rare portrait of the Calvert family that shows an enslaved boy in the background, tracing the genealogy of enslaved people there and updating exhibits to include more information.

In one case, an exhibit of the dining room has been updated to call attention to the work done by enslaved people and creating a separate table to show the differences in what they would have had to eat.

“We are really trying to bring humanity to the people who lived and work here and rebuilding their families,” Davis told DCist.

The museum is also looking to add more Spanish-language content and more information about the Piscataway people who lived in the area.

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