Thomas Jefferson

As the face of the nation continues to evolve both in hue and--hopefully--tolerance, we find ourselves trying to reconcile the lofty principles of the founding fathers with the abominable institution of slavery. No man is more central to this quintessential paradox than the author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, whose words "all men are created equal" have been the battle cry for civil rights fighters throughout the ages. Yet Jefferson, unlike fellow Virginian George Washington, did not free his slaves upon his death; in fact, he was the second largest slaveowner in his county. Filmmaker Ken Burns' (Baseball [VL-7/94] and The West [VL-9/96]) latest, narrated by Ossie Davis, does an admirable job of presenting Jefferson in all his multi-faceted complexity. The subject of many recent books and articles (including a too one-sided dismissal by Conor Cruise O'Brien in the October, 1996 issue of The Atlantic Monthly as a "radical and racist"), the Master of Monticello was a walking mass of contradictions, to be sure, but lightly dismissed he cannot be, and this biography excels in portraying Jefferson's pivotal role in both creating and maintaining democracy in fledgling America. An outstanding film about the man who said, among other great pronouncements, "I cannot live without books." Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Pitman)