Thomas Jefferson

“I believe that constitutions are shaped by context—by history, tradition, culture, and politics,” explains A.E. Dick Howard, Warner-Booker Distinguished Professor of International Law at the University of Virginia‘s School of Law. Howard’s January Term, or J-Term, course gave students the chance to study constitutionalism “through the lens of a distinctive place.” Lifetime Learning is pleased […]

John Ragosta, author of Religious Freedom: Jefferson’s Legacy, America’s Creed, states that “…we must never return to a situation where people use their claims of religious freedom to avoid laws against discrimination…” Ragosta is a fellow at Virginia Humanities and lead faculty for Lifetime Learning‘s  Summer Jefferson Symposium at the University of Virginia. We welcome your […]

As we approach Thanksgiving in an unusual November, John Ragosta reflects on the writings of Thomas Jefferson and his words: “…to be thankful for what we have, rather than thoughtful about what we have not.” Ragosta is the lead faculty for Lifetime Learning‘s Summer Jefferson Symposium, a fellow at Virginia Humanities, and author of Religious Freedom: […]

“Origins are not destiny,” writes James Loeffler, considering how the past can shape the next chapter of American history. Loeffler is the Jay Berkowitz Professor of Jewish History in the Corcoran Department of History and the Ida and Nathan Kolodiz Director of Jewish Studies in the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at […]

Land ownership was important to Thomas Jefferson’s ideal of “equal citizenship,” and he looked westward for new frontiers. John Ragosta, a historian at the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello and lead faculty of the Virtual Summer Jefferson Symposium 2020 presented by the University of Virginia‘s Lifetime Learning, looks at how […]

Beware the Ides of March! Just as March 15th was a turning point in Roman history, so too was exposure to Roman architecture a turning point for Thomas Jefferson. Dylan Rogers, Lecturer in Roman Art & Archaeology, describes how Jefferson’s first-hand observations of Roman sites influenced his design of the University of Virginia as well […]

James Madison was a key friend and advisor to Thomas Jefferson as plans for the University of Virginia were developed, and he remained involved in the project after Jefferson’s death. Jim Todd, Assistant Professor in UVA’s Woodrow Wilson Department of Politics in the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, gives us an interesting […]

January 16 is Religious Freedom Day and John Ragosta discusses how Thomas Jefferson offered guidance for today’s difficult questions about religion and the law. Mr. Ragosta is the lead faculty for Lifetime Learning‘s Summer Jefferson Symposium and a historian at the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello. The following article by […]

Authors Nancy Takahashi and Garth Anderson discuss in detail the University of Virginia‘s historical dependency on resources from “Parcel 1B,” a lesser-known tract of land in the Academical Village. Ms. Takahashi is a Distinguished Lecturer and Director of UVA’s Graduate Landscape Architecture Program in the School of Architecture. Mr. Anderson is the Facilities Historian in […]

“Parcels 1A and 1B” may not have a familiar ring, yet the contributions of this land throughout the University of Virginia’s history are significant. In this article, authors Nancy Takahashi and Garth Anderson explain the long-standing relationship between two tracts of land in the life story of UVA. Nancy Takahashi is a Distinguished Lecturer and […]

Revolutions strain diplomatic relations, and Andrew O’Shaughnessy describes how the American Revolution was no exception. Mr. O’Shaughnessy is a professor in the Corcoran Department of History in the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Virginia and serves as Vice President of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation and Saunders Director of […]

On July 4th we celebrate the birth of a nation based on a principle of equality for its citizens. As John Ragosta details in his piece, the struggle to fulfill this vision is ongoing. Mr. Ragosta is the faculty director of Lifetime Learning‘s Summer Jefferson Symposium at the University of Virginia, historian at Monticello’s Robert […]