Changes Coming To Jefferson Memorial To Reflect Slave Connections
The Civil War monuments were just the beginning...
The Jefferson Memorial will soon be updated to tell some of the story surrounding Founding Father Thomas Jefferson’s status as a slaveholder.
“In the coming weeks and months, the physical symbols of American history and democracy will be scrutinized and challenged,” Catherine Townsend, president of the Trust for the National Mall, wrote Thursday in a letter to supporters that came on the heels of a wrenching national debate over statues to historical figures who owned slaves or supported the Confederacy.
“When that happens, we will work with our partners to ensure the National Mall continues to be a vibrant and relevant place where Americans can learn about our history and imagine our future, together,” she wrote.
“Recent events only reinforce the need for an open, inclusive and safe space for Americans to exercise their First Amendment rights and to gather in pursuit of our shared ideals — life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all,” she added.
“I hope you will join us as we steward private support to implement modern and resilient solutions that can transform this dynamic space and preserve the historic legacy of the National Mall.”
Even before the events in Charlottesville sparked new debate over statues, the Trust had been looking to refurbish the 20-year-old National Park Service exhibit at Jefferson’s memorial.
“We can reflect the momentous contributions of someone like Thomas Jefferson, but also consider carefully the complexity of who he was. And that’s not reflected right now in the exhibits,” an official with the trust told the Washington Examiner.
The official noted that as long as public monuments need private dollars, they will have to incorporate the viewpoints of those who fund the renovations.
“The Park Service manages the site, and we’ll always be clear on that — but if we are a partner in help bringing private funding to make sure that they’re able to update that exhibit, that’s where we want to be thoughtful vis a vis what has happened, or, sort of, come to an inflection point in the last week,” the official said.
Sure, it makes equal sense *(rather NON-sense) twitter.com/Tactical_revie…
Thomas Jefferson memorial? He owned slaves - Tear it down because the reminder of slavery hurts my heart:? Don't be ridiculous people! pic.twitter.com/8uRrD9HmgO
The dichotomy between the public words of the author of the Declaration of Independence and his status as a man whose Monticello plantation relied on slavery has long been explored by historians.
Some writers have claimed that Jefferson fathered multiple children by longtime slave Sally Hemings, who he refused to free even after his death.
Jefferson, whose notebooks explored the vast differences he saw between his slaves and the white society around him, grappled with the morality of slavery, and was one of the first political leaders to restrict the slave trade, first as governor of Virginia and later as president.
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