Today is
Thomas Jefferson Day. Thomas Jefferson
is one of the few that authored and molded the U.S. Constitution and made this nation's first laws.
Not bad, not
bad, for a first time thing.
He was also
the 3rd president.
When our
kids were kids we visited Monticello and looked at the exhibits that he
invented or plantation records of his growing experiments. His mind was always working.
He also
apparently had long lasting love affair
with one of his slaves Sally Hemmings. While in Charlottesville, after touring
Monticello and the University of Virginia,
which he founded and designed its buildings, we went to Thomas Jefferson
Society Museum high on a hill overlooking the college and his home. There, a docent was all smiles very proudly
pointed out things and facts to build Jefferson's heroism I asked her about Sally Hemmings. Her face dropped and her smile turned into a
scowl. She snappily said, Thomas Jefferson descendants did not
recognize Sally Hemmings and the (the society) didn't either and just
considered her another house slave, but a hateful glare came with that last period.
I learned
not long ago, two of Thomas Jefferson's grandsons killed a slave maid for
accidentally breaking a crystal wine glass. I'm glad I didn't ask the docent about that incident.
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