I thought the original posting made interesting and relevant points about
how historians, and ordinary folks, deal with the "imperfections" of
historical figures, given that men such as Jefferson are necessarily
products of their time and place.  I assume Mr. Finkleman is referencing
Philip Foner's Marxist leanings and membership in the CPUSA in a negative
way, as an ad hominem attack against both Foner and Turner. This is not
fruitful. It is disheartening,too, given today's uncertain political
environment. When these arguments are made using people who were
blacklisted for their political beliefs in the early 1940s, it is not only
illogical but also demonstrates an ahistorical understanding of Foner,
himself, who could be criticized for a variety of other things, including
rather extensive plagiarism. He is unremarkable in having been a member of
CPUSA in New York City in the 1930s.

The most important question, which I'm sure many scholars have addressed,
is our need for mythic forebearers in the first place. When will we finally
be able to drop unrealistic expectations, admire people for what wisdom
they had to offer and accept, but not endorse, the angels of their lesser
(and more ordinary) natures?

Susan Hines, MA, US History, American University, 1991


On Mon, Nov 28, 2016 at 4:58 PM, Paul Finkelman <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> It is charming to see Mr. Dixon using a source quoting a well-known
> American Marxist (and I think member of the CPUSA) to bolster Jefferson:
> "Philip Foner, editor of “The Complete Writings of Thomas Paine,” noted
> that the characterization of Paine as “the first American abolitionist” was
> inaccurate, due to Jefferson’s 1769 effort to legalize the manumission of
> Virginia slaves." It is important to note that the law mentioned here would
> have merely allowed masters to free slaves through private manumission, if
> the masters chose to do so. It was not an emancipation law and would not
> have ended slavery.  Many masters liked such law because it allowed them to
> free favored slavers, often the mistresses or the children the fathered
> with the slaves.  In 1782 Virginia passed such a law, and except for a
> handful of members of the Hemings family, Jefferson never took advantage of
> the law to free any of his slaves.
> Support for such a law was hardly support for "abolition."  Many masters
> in the South (including Jefferson) freed a few slaves here and there but
> continued to buy and sell human beings throughout their lives.  Jefferson
> fits very well in this category.
> ******************
> Paul FinkelmanArielF. Sallows Visiting Professor of Human Rights
> LawCollegeof LawUniversityof Saskatchewan15Campus DriveSaskatoon,SK  S7N
> 5A6   [log in to unmask]
> c) 518.605.0296 (US number)
>
>
>       From: Richard Dixon <[log in to unmask]>
>  To: [log in to unmask]
>  Sent: Monday, November 28, 2016 11:44 AM
>  Subject: [VA-HIST] Censoring Jefferson
>
> For those interested in the recent flap at the University of Virginia
> where professors and students objected to President Teresa Sullivan
> quoting Thomas Jefferson, the founder of the University. There is a
> response from Robert Turner, a UVA professor, which appears in the
> November 27 Charlottesville Daily Progress.
>
> http://www.dailyprogress.com/opinion/opinion-commentary-
> censoring-jefferson-to-safeguard-ignorance-president-
> s-legacy/article_1756205c-b4a1-11e6-9510-9ffce9935918.
> html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share
>
>
> --
> Richard E. Dixon 12106 Beaver Creek Road Clifton, VA 20124 The Virginia
> Presidents: A Travel and History Guide 571-748-7660
>
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