Jefferson Scholar At Next American Lyceum Lecture
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
The Nov. 7 American Lyceum Lecture will feature Clay Jenkinson, who will portray the United States' third president, Thomas Jefferson. The lecture begins at 4 p.m. in Rodeheaver Auditorium on Park Avenue in Winona Lake. The series is sponsored by Grace College and the Village at Winona.
Jenkinson, a humanities scholar, author and social commentator, calls Jefferson "a marvelous historical character who had very articulate opinions about almost everything."
"He's as relevant today as he was in the 1800s," Jenkinson said in a recent telephone interview. "He believed in the importance of public education in a republic, understood the natural rights of all human beings and that government is unendingly accountable to the people."
On the other hand, the scholar is quick to point out, Jefferson was a slaveholder, a male chauvinist and dispossessed the American indians.
As a humanities scholar, trained in English Renaissance literature, Jenkinson came to portray Jefferson through a series of accidents. He has lectured about and portrayed Jefferson in 49 states over a period of 15 years. He has performed before Supreme Court justices, presidents, 18 state legislatures and countless public audiences, as well as appearing on the "Today" show, "Politically Incorrect" and CNN.
Jenkinson was one of the first winners of the nation's highest award in the humanities, the Charles Frankel prize. He is also a senior fellow for the Center for Digital Government, based in Sacramento, Calif., and a scholar-in-residence at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore.
Jenkinson is a scholar who is portraying a historical figure, not an actor taking on another figure's personality. The program is a vehicle for teaching, not theater. He does appear on stage in period costume, however.
"If we could all dress in the great coats, they're long and sensuous, that would be great. Breeches and hose are quite an attractive look; I don't like the wearing of a wig. I don't like going down the elevator in a hotel in costume. That's a bit embarrassing for me, but once I get into the room, I'm fine."
Ironically, Jefferson was no public speaker. Known in the Virginia House of Burgesses and the Continental Congress, as a "silent member" of the Congress, Jefferson, at 33, drafted the Declaration of Independence.
His collected letters alone take up 80 volumes of material. He wrote a bill establishing religious freedom, enacted in 1786. He replaced Benjamin Franklin as minister to France. He was an architect, inventor and landscape gardner.
Jenkinson returns to Monticello, Jefferson's grand Virginia home, two or three times each year.
"You can do library work, read every book about Jefferson and books written by Jefferson himself, but there's nothing like going back to Monticello. It gives you the best sense of the man. I feel inspired after a visit there," Jenkinson said.
The Jefferson presentations are followed by a series of questions, Jenkinson said, and the questions usually center on race and slavery, Sally Hemmings, some of Jefferson's election tactics used in 1796 and 1800.
"I'm aware that the achievement of Monticello is based on slavery. You can't have a naive adoration of Jefferson. He's very complex. Of course you have to put slavery into context. The perspective is very hard for 21st century people to understand."
Questions are answered in the general philosophy of the enlightenment era. Jenkinson doesn't pretend ignorance of televisions and airplanes.
"I wouldn't say here's what Jefferson would do about the national debt problem. I'll say here's what I think he would say."
In addition to hosting cultural tours, Jenkinson also produces the nationally syndicated radio program, "The Thomas Jefferson Hour." He is the author of "Jefferson, Man of Light," "The Character of Meriwether Lewis" and "Message on the Wind," among others.
He lives and writes in Reno, Nevada.
He also portrays Meriwether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark expedition; post-Civil War water czar John Wesley Powell; and Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States.
"I admire and enjoy all of them. Jefferson is still my favorite," he said, "although Roosevelt may take over as one of the greatest men who ever lived. If anyone can rival Jefferson in what he has to tell us, it's Roosevelt." [[In-content Ad]]
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The Nov. 7 American Lyceum Lecture will feature Clay Jenkinson, who will portray the United States' third president, Thomas Jefferson. The lecture begins at 4 p.m. in Rodeheaver Auditorium on Park Avenue in Winona Lake. The series is sponsored by Grace College and the Village at Winona.
Jenkinson, a humanities scholar, author and social commentator, calls Jefferson "a marvelous historical character who had very articulate opinions about almost everything."
"He's as relevant today as he was in the 1800s," Jenkinson said in a recent telephone interview. "He believed in the importance of public education in a republic, understood the natural rights of all human beings and that government is unendingly accountable to the people."
On the other hand, the scholar is quick to point out, Jefferson was a slaveholder, a male chauvinist and dispossessed the American indians.
As a humanities scholar, trained in English Renaissance literature, Jenkinson came to portray Jefferson through a series of accidents. He has lectured about and portrayed Jefferson in 49 states over a period of 15 years. He has performed before Supreme Court justices, presidents, 18 state legislatures and countless public audiences, as well as appearing on the "Today" show, "Politically Incorrect" and CNN.
Jenkinson was one of the first winners of the nation's highest award in the humanities, the Charles Frankel prize. He is also a senior fellow for the Center for Digital Government, based in Sacramento, Calif., and a scholar-in-residence at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore.
Jenkinson is a scholar who is portraying a historical figure, not an actor taking on another figure's personality. The program is a vehicle for teaching, not theater. He does appear on stage in period costume, however.
"If we could all dress in the great coats, they're long and sensuous, that would be great. Breeches and hose are quite an attractive look; I don't like the wearing of a wig. I don't like going down the elevator in a hotel in costume. That's a bit embarrassing for me, but once I get into the room, I'm fine."
Ironically, Jefferson was no public speaker. Known in the Virginia House of Burgesses and the Continental Congress, as a "silent member" of the Congress, Jefferson, at 33, drafted the Declaration of Independence.
His collected letters alone take up 80 volumes of material. He wrote a bill establishing religious freedom, enacted in 1786. He replaced Benjamin Franklin as minister to France. He was an architect, inventor and landscape gardner.
Jenkinson returns to Monticello, Jefferson's grand Virginia home, two or three times each year.
"You can do library work, read every book about Jefferson and books written by Jefferson himself, but there's nothing like going back to Monticello. It gives you the best sense of the man. I feel inspired after a visit there," Jenkinson said.
The Jefferson presentations are followed by a series of questions, Jenkinson said, and the questions usually center on race and slavery, Sally Hemmings, some of Jefferson's election tactics used in 1796 and 1800.
"I'm aware that the achievement of Monticello is based on slavery. You can't have a naive adoration of Jefferson. He's very complex. Of course you have to put slavery into context. The perspective is very hard for 21st century people to understand."
Questions are answered in the general philosophy of the enlightenment era. Jenkinson doesn't pretend ignorance of televisions and airplanes.
"I wouldn't say here's what Jefferson would do about the national debt problem. I'll say here's what I think he would say."
In addition to hosting cultural tours, Jenkinson also produces the nationally syndicated radio program, "The Thomas Jefferson Hour." He is the author of "Jefferson, Man of Light," "The Character of Meriwether Lewis" and "Message on the Wind," among others.
He lives and writes in Reno, Nevada.
He also portrays Meriwether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark expedition; post-Civil War water czar John Wesley Powell; and Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States.
"I admire and enjoy all of them. Jefferson is still my favorite," he said, "although Roosevelt may take over as one of the greatest men who ever lived. If anyone can rival Jefferson in what he has to tell us, it's Roosevelt." [[In-content Ad]]