Thursday, April 26, 2007
Writer: Shanna Relford
news@utsi.edu
Since 1996, UTSI has held the Thomas Jefferson
Lectures, hosting a Jeffersonian expert each year to come and speak
on an area of Jefferson’s life. This year’s lecture, held in
mid-April, was entitled, “The Revolutionary Generation’s Response to
Slavery and African Americans,” and offered a fascinating historical
background for Jefferson’s conflicted attitude toward slavery.
Though the 2007 Thomas Jefferson Lecturer, Dr. Annette Gordon-Reed,
has written a book on Jefferson’s problematic relationship with
slavery, and a particular slave of his, Sally Hemings, with whom
Jefferson fathered children, according to recent DNA evidence, the
subject did not arise during the lecture at UTSI. Yet, Dr.
Gordon-Reed’s lecture was anything but disappointing; the New York
Law School Professor entertained the audience with a history lesson
that felt more like reading a good book.
Dr. Gordon-Reed said that as a child Jefferson began to feel that
slavery was inherently wrong, yet he himself owned slaves as an
adult. Professor Gordon-Reed wasn’t critical of the founding father
for this gap in his own theory of “all men are created equal.” She
said that Jefferson, like many of his era, believed that slavery
would die out on its own. Jefferson did put an end to the slave
trade during his presidency, thereby keeping any new slaves from
being brought overseas to America. A few of his slaves were given
their freedom upon his death, including the children of Sally
Hemings. However, most of his slaves were auctioned off along with
all of his property, as he died in 1826 with over $100,000 in debts.
His private conflict carried over into his public life to an extent.
Jefferson openly criticized slavery from his political pulpit and
introduced emancipation bills in Virginia. But it was Jefferson's
climb up the political ladder and his efforts to strengthen the
still newborn nation that took the majority of his time. Dr.
Gordon-Reed said that Jefferson feared that the county might split
over the issue of slavery, but that he never dreamed it would
escalate to the level of Civil War.
“Though this was my first Thomas Jefferson Lecture at UTSI, I have
been told that this year’s event was the best and the best-attended
of the series thus far,” said Dr. Donald Daniel, UTSI’s Chief
Operating Officer. “I enjoyed meeting Dr. Gordon-Reed immensely; she
spoke of Jefferson with a knowledge and intensity that made her a
pleasure to learn from,” added Dr. Daniel.
In conjunction with the lecture series, area high school students
are invited to participate in an essay contest each year. This
year’s winning essay was written by Rachel Powelson of Lincoln
County High School, who was awarded a $300 prize, and earned $500
for her school, for her essay on “The Social Dichotomy in
Jefferson’s America.” Also participating and ranking Best in School,
were John Scarborough from Franklin County High School and Samantha
Bartee of Tullahoma High School.
JEFFERSON QUESTIONS--Thomas Jefferson Lecturer Dr. Annette Gordon-Reed is shown at right talking to Donna Daniel, wife of UTSI COO Dr. Donald Daniel, at the reception following the lecture. The New York Law School Professor was very popular during the reception, answering questions for the lecture guests. --UTSI Photo by Laura Horton
DR. BOMAR THANKS SPEAKER--Dr. Bruce Bomar, Dean of Academic Affairs at UTSI, is shown at left with Dr. Annette Gordon-Reed, just after presenting Dr. Gordon-Reed with a plaque to thank her for giving the 11th Annual Thomas Jefferson Lecture. --UTSI Photo by Laura Horton
2007 THOMAS JEFFERSON LECTURE--Shown here are some of the people who worked very hard to make this year’s Thomas Jefferson Lecture a success. UTSI students William Robinson and Erin Halpenny, Dr. Bruce Bomar, UTSI Dean of Academic Affairs, Thomas Jefferson Lecturer Dr. Annette Gordon-Reed, UTSI Professor and Thomas Jefferson Chair Dr. Trevor Moulden, and UTSI Chief Operating Officer and UT Associate Vice President Dr. Donald Daniel. --UTSI Photo by Laura Horton
STUDENT JEFFERSON SCHOLARS--This year’s Thomas Jefferson student essay contest at the University of Tennessee Space Institute included some tough competition. John Scarborough from Franklin County High School and Samantha Bartee of Tullahoma High School earned Best in School, and Rachel Powelson of Lincoln County High School took first place as the overall winner, (shown left to right above). Her winning essay on the topic “The Social Dichotomy in Jefferson’s America” garnered a $300 prize for herself and $500 for her school. --UTSI Photo by Shanna Relford
