Listening to America

"Jefferson admits [to John] Adams, you were right and I was wrong about the French Revolution." — Joseph J. Ellis We welcome Clay Jenkinson back from his recent cultural tour to France, and speak with author Joseph Ellis about what Jefferson learned in France, and how it changed his outlook of the American dream. Find this episode, along with recommended reading,  on the blog . Support the show by...

In this week's out-of-character program, our conversation is spent answering and responding to listener questions. Subjects included are Catherine Jenkinson's recent hosting of the show, hot air balloons during Jefferson's time, Theodore Roosevelt, and the rights of women, the LGBTQ community, and people of color. Find this episode, along with recommended reading,  on the blog . Support the show b...

President Thomas Jefferson speaks about the formation of the government of the United States. Jefferson explains the social contract theory that when you are alone, you are sovereign, and when you join with others you have to negotiate what is for the commonwealth, and negotiate what natural rights you get to keep after adjustment by the government. Find this episode, along with recommended readin...

We are joined this week on the Thomas Jefferson Hour by three of our favorite friends: Pat Brodowski, Beau Wright, and Brad Crisler. Pat Brodowski is Monticello's Head Gardener. Beau Wright is a council member at large for the city of Lynchburg, Virginia. Brad Crisler is an award-winning Nashville-based songwriter, who now operates Truman B. Crisler Fine Portrait Miniatures. Find this episode, alo...

We speak with President Jefferson about the role of government in the oversight of elected officials. He tells us that because of the times they lived in, the founding fathers had great concerns about foreign involvement and influence on our government, and accordingly provided a mechanism to protect against it: impeachment. Find this episode, along with recommended reading,  on the blog . Support...

We are joined again this week by Catherine Jenkinson acting as guest host for a delightful conversation about Cuba, Clay's upcoming cultural tour to Cuba, Thomas Jefferson's connection to Cuba, and Theodore Roosevelt's time there. Catherine questions Clay as to whether or not Roosevelt was really the "man in the arena" during his exploits on San Juan Hill. Find this episode, along with recommended...

Thomas Jefferson Hour creator Clay S. Jenkinson is joined by his daughter Catherine who serves as this week's guest host. Among the many topics discussed is Catherine's upcoming trip to England where she will become a student this fall at the University of Oxford. Find this episode, along with recommended reading,  on the blog . Support the show by joining the  1776 Club  or by  donating  to the T...

"It's a classic enlightenment story: a novel in the history of ideas about how civilization is created from nothing."  — Clay S. Jenkinson We present another installment of the Jefferson Hour Book Club this week, and the selection is Robinson Crusoe, written by Daniel Defoe and published in 1719. It is a book Thomas Jefferson had in his library and reportedly read twice. Find this episode, along w...

We are joined this week by David Nicandri, one of the most respected Lewis and Clark scholars in the country. His book, "River of Promise - Lewis & Clark on the Columbia" fills a significant gap in our understanding of Lewis and Clark's legendary expedition. Nicandri joins us not so much to speak of that journey, but one of his own. In a fascinating conversation, Nicandri tells us about the journe...

Prompted by a   letter from a listener, President Thomas Jefferson shares his views on American exceptionalism and his hope that America will stand as a strong and good example for the rest of the world to follow. Find this episode, along with recommended reading,  on the blog . Support the show by joining the  1776 Club  or by  donating  to the Thomas Jefferson Hour, Inc. You can learn more about...

President Thomas Jefferson speaks to us this week about inventions and scientific discoveries of his time including some he was responsible for. Find this episode, along with recommended reading,  on the blog . Support the show by joining the  1776 Club  or by  donating  to the Thomas Jefferson Hour, Inc. You can learn more about Clay's cultural tours & retreats at  jeffersonhour.com/tours . Check...

This week we speak with Thomas Jefferson briefly about Alexander von Humbolt, and then bring Jefferson closer to our time by informing him that 50 years ago America landed men on the moon, which he has a bit of trouble believing. We also discuss Woodstock with Jefferson who says he hopes that if there were indeed women in attendance that they were all properly "escorted." Find this episode, along...

"He was iconic in the world's idea of what a nation could possibly be, and what an enlightened leader could possibly be." — Clay S. Jenkinson portraying Thomas Jefferson This week features another episode in the Jefferson Hour book club. We discuss Humboldt and Jefferson: A Transatlantic Friendship of the Enlightenment by Sandra Rebok, which explores the relationship between two fascinating person...

In this week's episode, President Thomas Jefferson answers listener questions, as does Thomas Jefferson Hour creator Clay S. Jenkinson. Subjects discussed include where the name "United States of America" comes from, the poet Phillis Wheatley and slavery in the Northwest Territory. Find this episode, along with recommended reading,  on the blog . Support the show by joining the  1776 Club  or by ...

Clay Jenkinson has returned from his annual Lewis and Clark trip in Montana and Idaho, and he gives us a report on the 2019 tour. Clay also offers a list of eight items Lewis and Clark would have certainly wished for on their journey, could they have had them. Find this episode, along with recommended reading,  on the blog . Support the show by joining the  1776 Club  or by  donating  to the Thoma...

This week, Clay takes a deeper look at Jefferson and religion. Jefferson considered the teachings of Jesus as having "the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered to man," but he felt that the pure teachings of Jesus were inaccurately appropriated by some of the early followers of Jesus which led to a Bible that had both "diamonds" of wisdom and the "dung" of ancient...

On August 20th, 1814, Thomas Jefferson received a letter from Miles King expressing King's concerns for Jefferson's eternal soul. King wrote, "And now permit me to ask dear Sir, are you not an old man well stricken in years, and laden with the highest honors that a grateful country can bestow? But what will these avail you in a dying hour?" We speak with President Jefferson this week about that le...

We discuss the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo moon landing and then are joined by two special guests. Jeff Huss of the Huss and Dalton Guitar Company in Staunton, Virginia talks about a very special project: the Jefferson Edition 00-SP Custom guitar which is crafted in part with wood from Monticello. Later in the program, Monticello's head gardener Pat Brodowski tells us about the trees the wood c...

"Jefferson comes off as a Machiavellian figure in this book, as not all together reliable and not always truthful in his epic fight against Hamilton." — Clay S. Jenkinson This week, we present another installment in the Jefferson Hour Book Club and discuss Alexander Hamilton by author Ron Chernow. Find this episode, along with recommended reading,  on the blog . Support the show by joining the  17...

"Mayor Pete of South Bend is saying that he would welcome certain erasures of Jefferson from our public discourse." — Clay S. Jenkinson Clay has returned from his recent travels and his search for America, and he updates us on that trip. We answer listener mail, including responses to the recent show, #1344 Baked In. Find this episode, along with recommended reading,  on the blog . Support the sho...

For our annual Jefferson Hour 4th of July show, we speak with President Jefferson (as portrayed by humanities scholar Clay S. Jenkinson) about the founding ideals of America and his participation in the writing of the Declaration of Independence. Find this episode, along with recommended reading,  on the blog . Support the show by joining the  1776 Club  or by  donating  to the Thomas Jefferson Ho...

"It is a necessary evil, and the more we rein it in, the happier and freer we shall be." — Clay S. Jenkinson portraying Thomas Jefferson Find this episode, along with recommended reading,  on the blog . Support the show by joining the  1776 Club  or by  donating  to the Thomas Jefferson Hour, Inc. You can learn more about Clay's cultural tours & retreats at  jeffersonhour.com/tours . Check out our...

This week we speak with humanities scholar Clay S. Jenkinson about how rigid people's political thoughts have become during our time, George Will's observations on citizen's expectations of government and what a contemporary Jeffersonian political party might stand for. Find this episode, along with recommended reading,  on the blog . Support the show by joining the  1776 Club  or by  donating  to...

"Every individual [is] led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention." — Adam Smith Find this episode, along with recommended reading,  on the blog . Support the show by joining the  1776 Club  or by  donating  to the Thomas Jefferson Hour, Inc. You can learn more about Clay's cultural tours & retreats at  jeffersonhour.com/tours . Check out our  new merch . You can...

"He's never happier than when he can recommend a course of reading to somebody else." — Clay S. Jenkinson President Jefferson tells us what books he might recommend to juvenile readers, and it turns out to be a fairly limited list. He does, however, recommend Don Quixote, Gulliver's Travels and Robinson Crusoe. Find this episode, along with recommended reading,  on the blog . Support the show by j...