Thomas Jefferson and the Fight against Slavery / Cara Rogers Stevens.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Stevens, Cara Rogers, author.

Series:

American political thought.

American Political Thought

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Antislavery movements.

Virginia--History--19th century.

Virginia.

Virginia--History--18th century.

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. Notes on the state of Virginia.

Jefferson, Thomas.

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826--Political and social views.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (399 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Lawrence, Kansas : University Press of Kansas, [2024]

Summary:

"In this groundbreaking work, Cara Rogers examines the fascinating early life of Thomas Jefferson's book, Notes on the State of Virginia, from its innocuous composition in the early 1780s to its appropriation as a political weapon by both pro- and antislavery forces in the early nineteenth century. Initially written as a statistical introduction to Virginia for French readers, Jefferson's book evolved into an intellectual tour de force that covered almost all facets of the state's natural and political realms. As part of an antislavery education strategy, Jefferson also decided to include a treatise on the nature of racial difference, as well as a manifesto on the corrupting power of slavery in a republic and a plan for emancipation and colonization. In consequence, his book--for better or worse--defined the boundaries of future debates over the place of Black people in American society. Although historians have rightly criticized Jefferson for his racism and failure to free his own slaves, his antislavery intentions for the Notes have received only cursory notice, partly because the original manuscript was not available for detailed examination until recently. By analyzing Jefferson's complex revision process, this book traces the ways his views on race and slavery evolved as he considered how best to persuade younger slaveholders to embrace emancipation. It then moves beyond Jefferson to examine contemporary responses to the Notes from white and Black intellectuals and politicians, concluding with an attempt by Jefferson's grandson to implement elements of the Notes's emancipation plan during Virginia's 1831-1832 slavery debates"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1. Antislavery at William and Mary

Chapter 2. Writing Notes on the State of Virginia

Chapter 3. Authors in Paris: Printing the Notes

Chapter 4. Alternatives to Slavery, 1785-1798

Chapter 5. A Lasting Influence: The "Sons" Appropriate the Notes

Chapter 6. The Jeffersonian Legacy in Virginia, 1820-1832

Epilogue

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Back Cover.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Print version: Stevens, Cara Rogers Thomas Jefferson and the Fight against Slavery

ISBN:

9780700635986

070063598X