Hello! This week I did my Podcast on Thomas Jefferson and idolizing figures in our history who did terrible things. Frankly, this is more so me on my soapbox! (;
Here is the link I used on Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello plantation: https://www.monticello.org/slavery/
I really enjoyed your in-depth look at Thomas Jefferson to reassess his positionality and power. I completely agree that we have this longstanding fascination with historical figures and this kind of idolatry is deeply problematic! Your analysis of Monticello as a public history site (and yes, you pronounced it correctly!) provided a great overview of its significance as Jefferson’s home, but also its purpose as a plantation. Monticello attracts hundreds of visitors a year and I can’t help but wonder HOW they are representing the history of slavery and whether they openly complicate the public’s understanding of Jefferson. Thank you for adding this link on slavery interpretation at Monticello– this was really helpful! I am glad to see that they have some programs and support for telling this side of the narrative, but I still worry about how they are presenting it. Even on the landing page of the website that reads “Slavery at Monticello”, it feels more like an experience for tourism rather than a critical historical analysis. A self-guided pass at Monticello is $29, and I have a feeling people aren’t paying that price to receive critical views of Jefferson. What do you think?
Your episode was a joy to listen to, and I appreciated your insight and passion for this topic! You could totally start your own podcast series critiquing different historical sites (real and online!).