About this episode
Jeff discusses the complicated ideas and legacy of Thomas Jefferson as they pertain to race and slavery, with Dr. Cara Rogers Stevens, author of a new book on the subject.
Far more complex than presented in textbooks and conventional histories, Jefferson condemned slavery in some of the harshest language of his times, owned slaves, perhaps fathered children with them, and had a sensibility of race relations that evolved and changed significantly throughout his personal and public life.
Relying on primary source documents - public and private - Rogers Stevens uncovers a Jefferson overlooked by most histories, or lost in contemporary political debates.
Read Cara's book, "Thomas Jefferson and the Fight against Slavery" available on Amazon.
Host: Jeff Sikkenga
Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer
Producer: Jeremy Gypton
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