Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Question for students: Just how evil was Thomas Jefferson?

It's not me asking, but it was more or less what Irish writer Conor Cruise O'Brien asked in his 1996 article, "Thomas Jefferson: Radical or Racist?" Now that have read (or once you have read) Jefferson's letters on the French Revolution -- see the Virtual Reader -- and about his relations with the Hemings family in Annette Gordon-Reed's book, give your response to O'Brien's screed. (These passages from Jefferson's writings on race and slavery may also be informative. You have probably seen them already.) Most present-day historians and commentators would not be as harsh as O'Brien, but many make some basically similar points that, like O'Brien, follow some of the Federalist attacks on Jefferson in his own time. Do you think Gordon-Reed would agree them?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

O'Brien makes a strong case that Jefferson's ideas on race should eventually disqualify Jefferson from being included in the American civil religion since the modern civil religion includes equality for women and men of all races. The evidence he presents shows that Jefferson's attitudes and beliefs toward blacks were certainly not that of the equality that is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, which he penned. Jefferson wrote that free blacks should not be allowed to stay in the United States and should instead be colonized and deported. He did not believe in racial coexistence in America, which by today's standards is a clearly unaccepted and by many would be considered an evil belief. However, that belief was also considered extreme in Jefferson's time, and a proposed bill dealing with slavery was passed without Jefferson's addition to limit the free black population in Virginia.

Jefferson's remarks on race in Notes on the State of Virginia in 1787 also show his extreme racism. He claims blacks are genetically inferior and even claims their genetics cause them to smell worse than those of other races. He claims that black people are uglier and their love is more about sensation than emotion. These claims again clearly show racism that would be considered evil by many in Jefferson's time and many in modern times.

In Jefferson's letters to William Smith, Abigail Adams, and William Short, Jefferson is a proponent of revolution - even violent revolution - as a way to shake up the government and be a warning to its leaders. He generally supports the French Revolution and does not speak out against the horrors of the revolution until much later, which to some would be seen as supporting violence and evil.

Upon looking at this evidence, it is easy to come to the conclusion that Jefferson's advocacy of racism and violence were a detrimental quality of one of the revered founders. It certainly makes it more difficult to defend Jefferson's honor and character. In Gordon-Reed's book Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy, Gordon-Reed provides evidence that supports that Jefferson fathered Hemmings' children. In one of her arguments, Gordon-Reed claims that to say Jefferson did not do it because his character was too good is a weak argument that does not hold up. I believe Gordon-Reed would agree with O'Brien's evidence that Jefferson is more of a racist than noble radical.

- Rae Nudson

Anonymous said...

I agree that the concept of Jefferson being too good to form a relationship (to whatever degree) with Sally Hemings is very weak. One only has to read his writings on race to see that he is not the infalible, virtuous being that he is made out to be. I think people too often forget that these historical figures were human. As much as George Washington strived to be Cincinnatus, he was not. As much as Jefferson is viewed as the ultimate proponent of equality, his writings (other than the Declaration) proved otherwise. As much as Hamilton is viewed as a complete tool, he was at least likable enought to gain support.

It shouldn't be too hard to view the Jefferson/Hemings relationship as flawed or imperfect, just as all relationships are. Simply being a historical figure doesn't warrant being placed into a nutshell: good or bad, racism or equality.
-Steven Stricklan