Giving due credit
For over a century, a seven-foot-tall statue of Thomas Jefferson, a founding father of the United States, stood tall in New York City Hall. Last November, the statue was removed.
The decision came after multiple city council members called for the statue’s removal. The members argued that Jefferson’s controversial legacy made his statue inappropriate. Despite his many triumphs, some of Jefferson’s choices– particularly those regarding his enslavement of people– were deplorable.
Naturally, a question arises: How should historical figures be represented in the present day, considering both their achievements and shortcomings?
Regarding Thomas Jefferson specifically, there needs to be greater hesitancy in the removal of statues, monuments, street names, and other memorials. Jefferson has been celebrated and memorialized for generations for good reason; his liberal vision for America was integral in the cultural and political development of the most consequential nation in human history.
But how does the portrayal of Jefferson as a saintly pioneer of liberty reconcile with the reality of his enslavement of other human beings, and his treatment of them? Not well.
Jefferson was by no means perfect, and he is not immune to criticism. Considering his efforts to expand liberty in public life, he proved himself deeply hypocritical in his private life.
Ironically, the man who famously wrote in the Declaration of Independence that “All men are created equal” and that they possess “certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” enslaved hundreds of people during his life.
But does this mean that existing memorials to Jefferson should be erased? Regardless of Jefferson’s lacking personal moral character, his body of work and what it represents are essential to the nation’s identity. Taking away these memorials diminishes in the common consciousness an appreciation for the lessons handed down through history.
Jefferson’s vision of an extraordinarily restricted federal government was, in time, largely overcome by Alexander Hamilton’s vision of a strong central government. Regardless, Jefferson had a significant impact on America’s identity. Jefferson’s ideals were crucial in the development of the American spirit.
Jefferson’s republicanism set the foundation for the cultural core of America, manifested in the rugged individualism which came to define the nation’s spirit throughout its ascension to the pinnacle of global power and influence.
His particular interest in checking government authority, with ideas including the separation of church and state, had the lasting impact of dramatically reducing American tolerance for governmental interference with individual autonomy, both from a legislative and cultural perspective.
Jefferson was exceedingly influential in setting the standard of minimal government intrusion in people’s everyday lives, accompanied by minimal expectations for governmental services. This legacy, at least in some circles, lives on to this day.
The reality of human existence is that virtually everyone is flawed. Thomas Jefferson certainly believed in mighty ideals for the advancement of society, but fell painfully short in holding himself personally accountable to such ideals. But as a broader society, positive progress is appreciated from whenever and wherever it comes.
Society is always learning and growing as human collaboration allows us to implement the best ideas from the world’s most clever and insightful minds. When people reflect upon societal progress, punishing the worst features of those individuals who brought positive change to the world generally ends up taking a back seat to appreciating their accomplishments.
Historical figures are often sorted into two groups: The Good Ones and The Bad Ones. But most people do not fit well into these categories. The truth about Thomas Jefferson is that he was neither completely bad nor totally good. Forcing figures into these two categories only serves to eradicate the nuance and complexity of human development over time.
As a society, there needs to be an appreciation for the bits of goodness that can be gathered from the endless variety of human experiences over the course of history. Thomas Jefferson was responsible for immense good, especially given the limits of what one can accomplish in a single lifetime.
Still, Thomas Jefferson was a flawed man. His legacy need not be erased for who he was at his worst but should be understood in its entirety and given its proper due. Jefferson’s achievements deserve remembrance, and the eradication of his image disparages the valuable lessons he passed on.
~Johnathon McCartney `25
