Notes on the State

Is it enough to say Thomas Jefferson is a paradox? "Notes on the State" explores Jefferson's contradictions, the limits of his writings and legacies of his history for our nation today. Produced at the University of Virginia's Carter G. Woodson Institute for African-American and African Studies, the series launches Presidents' Day, February 18th 2019.

Thomas Jefferson makes some controversial claims about race and racial difference in his first and only book, Notes on the State of Virginia. How do we reconcile Jefferson's racist theories with his ideals of liberty, equality, and individual freedom? What do these tensions in Jefferson’s work tell us about belonging and citizenship today? Find out in our first query: "The Difference Jefferson Makes." 

Thomas Jefferson fathered six children with the enslaved woman, Sally Hemings. For generations, the details of her life story have been overshadowed by Jefferson’s iconic image and the controversy surrounding what passed between them. Who is Sally Hemings? And what is her story? What would coming to terms with her story mean for the way we understand Jefferson’s history?