Vulgar History: Regency Era Thomas Jefferson, Monticello, and America's 250th Anniversary
Nov 27, 2025
Dr. Jane Kamensky, President and CEO of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation and a historian, dives deep into the rich and complex history of Monticello. She reveals how the site grapples with Jefferson’s legacy and his ties to slavery, particularly through the Life of Sally Hemings exhibit. Jane also discusses Monticello’s plans to celebrate America's 250th anniversary with engaging public programs and educational initiatives, and even answers the burning question: is Monticello haunted? Plus, hear about its culinary history and family-friendly activities!
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Monticello's Long Commitment To Slavery History
- Monticello has long acknowledged slavery and progressively integrated enslaved peoples' stories into public interpretation since the 1990s.
- The site treats Jefferson as emblematic of founding paradoxes to better understand American history.
Jefferson As A Founding Paradox
- Monticello occupies a unique place because Jefferson authored the Declaration yet owned enslaved people, highlighting a deep founding paradox.
- Understanding Jefferson's contradictions helps explain how systems persist across generations.
Sally Hemings Represented Without A Face
- Monticello's Sally Hemings exhibit places a wrapped mannequin without a face to signal what we cannot know about her interior life.
- The display relies on contemporary documents and reminiscences rather than speculative portraiture.
