The complex legacy of the sage of Monticello

When I received the Thomas Jefferson Award at the University of Virginia, it was one of the most memorable days of my life. This distinguished Award is given annually to a member of the faculty of the University of Virginia for advancing, through his character, work, and personal example, the ideals and objectives for which Jefferson founded the University. This Award was presented to me at theH fall convocation ceremony on the lawn of the University on Friday, October 6, 1990. This unique day had special meaning to the University because it was also the inauguration of the ninth President of the University of Virginia, John T. Casteen, III, who was to follow in the footsteps of the first President and founder of the University, Thomas Jefferson. I remember that beautiful fall day as the University faculty, dressed in their colorful regalia, progressed down the lawn, accompanied by the symphonic music of the talented student musicians. As the leaves fell from the trees, they appeared to dance with the music. A cool breeze coming across the Blue Ridge mountains made everyone feel comfortable as the sun illuminated the celebration. This Award has special meaning to me because it represents a gracious acknowledgment of my contributions as a scientist and teacher from my beloved colleagues who have enriched and empowered my academic career during the last two decades. Realizing the previous Award recipients’ scholarly and humanitarian contributions to the world, I feel especially honored and privileged to be a part of the illustrious academic legacy that each previous recipient has bestowed on our University. Because I was the recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Award, I thought it would be prudent if I was more knowledgeable about the life of the founding father of the University for whom the Award was named. I was especially cognizant of my limited knowledge about the third President of the United States when I, as a recipient of this Award, was invited to dine at Monticello amongst noted Jefferson Scholars and the Board of Trustees of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation. During dinner, everyone referred to Mr. Jefferson and spoke about him with great esteem, admiration, and respect, talking endlessly about his contributions to our country and the world. When a distinguished colleague offered a laudatory toast to Mr. Jefferson, I imagined that Mr. Jefferson was seated at the table listening intently to the compliments. My previous visits to Monticello, his home that overlooks our University, had provided a cursory understanding of the man. His aesthetic sense, artistry, and architectural design of Monticello make his home intrinsically a part of his personal identity. You can begin to understand Jefferson when you make your first visit to Monticello. As I read countless times the inscription on his tombstone near his home, it was perfectly clear to me what he wanted to be remembered for, a trinity of accomplishments: author of the Declaration of Independence and Virginia’s Statute of Religious Freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. He believed that the rights of an individual were paramount and that a