''Thomas Jefferson'' is a 1997 two-part American documentary film directed and produced by

Ken Burns Kenneth Lauren Burns (born July 29, 1953) is an American filmmaker known for his documentary film, documentary films and television series, many of which chronicle United States, American History of the United States, history and Culture of the ...

. It covers the life and times of

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...

, the 3rd

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

. In the film Jefferson is portrayed as a renaissance man. Not only was he a dedicated public servant, but was also a writer, an inventor, and a noted architect. Burns captures both the public and private person.

Actors and historians

Many noted actors read lines of various historical figures. A series of American university professors of history and political figures discussed background information. Actors included: * Ossie Davis – Narrator * Sam Waterston – Thomas Jefferson *

Blythe Danner Blythe Katherine Danner (born February 3, 1943) is an American actress. Accolades she has received include two Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Izzy Huffstodt on '' Huff'' (2004–2006), and a ...

– Martha Jefferson *

Gwyneth Paltrow Gwyneth Kate Paltrow (; born ) is an American actress and businesswoman. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Paltrow gained notice for her early work in films ...

– Jefferson's granddaughter * Philip Bosco as Sam Adams Historians and political commentators included:

Daniel Boorstin Daniel Joseph Boorstin (October 1, 1914 – February 28, 2004) was an American historian at the University of Chicago who wrote on many topics in American and world history. He was appointed the twelfth Librarian of the United States Congress in ...

, Andrew Burstein, Joseph Ellis,

Clay S. Jenkinson Clay Straus Jenkinson (born February 4, 1955 in Dickinson, North Dakota) is an American humanities scholar, author and educator. He is currently the director of The Dakota Institute, where he co-hosts public radio's ''The Thomas Jefferson Hour' ...

, Gore Vidal, George Will,

Garry Wills Garry Wills (born May 22, 1934) is an American author, journalist, political philosopher, and historian, specializing in American history, politics, and religion, especially the history of the Catholic Church. He won a Pulitzer Prize for Genera ...

, John Hope Franklin, James Oliver Horton and Julian Bond. A topic of Jefferson's private life was the long-rumored liaison between Jefferson and his mixed-race slave Sally Hemings. She was a half-sister to his late wife, and the daughter of

John Wayles John Wayles (January 31, 1715 – May 28, 1773) was a colonial American planter, slave trader and lawyer in colonial Virginia. He is historically best known as the father-in-law of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States. ...

and his slave Betty Hemings; Sally was three-quarters white. The white historians gave all the reasons they believed Jefferson would not have done it. Black historians discussed "reality and inevitability."Edward J. Gallagher, "Episode 12: Overview"
, ''The Jefferson-Hemings Controversy'', Digital Library, Lehigh University Noted historian John Hope Franklin referred to all the mulattos of the period and said, "These things nterracial liaisonswere part of the natural landscape in Virginia, and Mr. Jefferson was as likely as any others to have done this because it's in character with the times—and indeed, with him, who believed in exploiting these people that he controlled completely." Following airing of this film, in 1998 a Y-DNA study showed a match between a descendant of Sally's youngest son,

Eston Hemings Eston is a Village in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland, North Yorkshire, England. The ward covering the area (as well as Lackenby, Lazenby and Wilton) had a population of 7,005 at the 2011 census. It is part of Greater Eston, which include ...

, and a descendant of the male Jefferson line. Following a review of other historic evidence, this has led to a consensus among historians, including the

Thomas Jefferson Foundation The Thomas Jefferson Foundation, originally known as the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation, is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation founded in 1923 to purchase and maintain Monticello, the primary plantation of Thomas Jefferson, the third ...

of Monticello, that Jefferson did have a long-term relationship with Hemings and fathered her children."Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: A Brief Account"
, Monticello Website, accessed June 22, 2011, Quote: "Ten years later eferring to its 2000 report TJF homas Jefferson Foundationand most historians now believe that, years after his wife's death, Thomas Jefferson was the father of the six children of Sally Hemings mentioned in Jefferson's records, including Beverly, Harriet, Madison and Eston Hemings." Ellis and Burstein were among those who commented publicly about their change in thinking."Interview: Joseph Ellis"
, ''Jefferson's Blood'', 2000, PBS-Frontline, Quote: "We don't know for sure when Jefferson's relationship with Sally Hemings started. The DNA testing that has been done was done on the Eston Hemings line. Eston was born in 1805. It does seem that Jefferson had a long-term relationship with Sally Hemings."
, ''History News Network'', July 25, 2005, accessed March 14, 2011.

References

External links

*
Review: ''Thomas Jefferson''
'' The US Presidents (website)''
Ken Burns interview

C-SPAN Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN ) is an American cable and satellite television network that was created in 1979 by the cable television industry as a nonprofit public service. It televises many proceedings of the United States ...

(@ 1hr 2min)
Joseph Ellis, "Whose Thomas Jefferson is he anyway?"
''New York Times'', 16 February 1997 * {{Thomas Jefferson 1997 films 1997 documentary films Documentary films about presidents of the United States Documentary films about United States history American documentary television films Films directed by Ken Burns Films set in the United States Films shot in the United States Films about presidents of the United States Cultural depictions of Thomas Jefferson 1990s English-language films 1990s American films

Actors and historians

See also

References

External links