“The Founding Fathers intended a free nation in which you could choose your religion.”
After a short discussion about weather, President Jefferson addresses a question about his ownership of a copy of the Quran. Jefferson goes on to explain his views on the importance of religious freedom. In the out-of-character portion of the show, Clay and David are joined by Brad Crisler.
Further Reading
- Truman B. Crisler: Portrait Miniatures
- Wikipedia: Quran oath controversy of the 110th United States Congress
A Word About Fathers and Daughters
The Jefferson Watch
If you ask me what the most successful relationship was in Jefferson’s 83-year life, I can answer unequivocally that it was with his elder daughter Martha, whom he called Patsy, at least when she was young. The other adult daughter Maria (Polly), who died in her 25th year, always believed that her father preferred her older sister. She was right. Martha Jefferson was essentially a female version of Jefferson—tall, masterful in all that she did, disciplined, socially graceful, and competent through the roof. She adored her father, and was a fierce and lifelong protector of his privacies, his sensitive spirit, and his reputation. She knew his faults, or some of them. She said once, “My father never gave up a friend—or an opinion.” The potency of that last phrase depends on how long the pause is after friend, but there is a wonderful irony about it.
Read this week's Jefferson Watch essay, "A Word About Fathers and Daughters."
What Would Jefferson Do?
“The idea was that once you create this constitutional mechanism, that it will distill the will of the people.”
Tune in to your local public radio or join the 1776 Club to hear this episode of What Would Thomas Jefferson Do?
This week, Clay Jenkinson discusses Jefferson’s first inaugural address with regular guest Lindsay Chervinsky. The speech, inaudibly delivered on March 4, 1801, is regarded as one of the top five in American history.
This week, Clay Jenkinson interviews frequent guest Beau Breslin of Skidmore College about the most famous decision in Supreme Court history.
Professor Beau Breslin of Skidmore College returns to the Thomas Jefferson Hour to talk about important passages that were edited out of key American documents of the Founding Era, including the famous anti-slavery passage of the Declaration of Independence.
This week's episode of the Thomas Jefferson Hour was recorded live at Radford University in Radford, Virginia in February 2023.