Xiomaro to Photograph a Founding Father’s Home

The National Park Service has commissioned Xiomaro to photograph the home and plantation of Thomas Stone (1743 – 1787), a Founding Father who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 along with 55 other revolutionaries.

In doing so, Stone risked his home, his family’s security, and even his life to support the Declaration’s promise of freedom. At the same time, enslaved people performed domestic labor and agricultural work on Stone’s tobacco-producing plantation, named Habre de Venture.

Thomas Stone National Historic Site was established by an Act of Congress in 1978 and is located in the state of Maryland. After Stone’s death, the plantation remained in the family for five generations until 1936 when it sold privately. In 1977 the main structure was severely damaged by fire. The National Park Service purchased the property and restored it to its original plans.

Xiomaro’s photography is widely exhibited in the U.S. and abroad and his books have been published globally. He has been interviewed by The New York Times, PBS, network television, and an NPR member station. His project at Thomas Stone is a continuation of his work to create images that invite a deeper look at people, places, the past, and perception.