Installations and Performances Books

In my opinion, it is a shame that well intentioned sponsors,(National Endowment for the Arts, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, Philip Morris, U.S.A., The Wachovia Foundation, the University of Virginia Arts Board and Arts Enhancement Funds and individuals and businesses), have funded this sorry excuse (my opinion) for art and comment on Thomas Jefferson.

Look at the cover of the book, this seems to set the tone for the existance of this. This is a Monument to Sally Hemings we are told. Peter Onuf, History Professor at the University of Virginia, sitting in the Monticello sponsored chair, tells us, among other things, that Thomas Jefferson "freed only a handful of the many hundreds of enslaved African Americans he owned, and that those few, including HIS CHILDREN WITH SALLY HEMINGS(my caps),--had strong personal claims on his solicitude, we begin to suspect that Jefferson himself is the problem." He goes on to inform the reader, "......before consigning him to History's Dustbin." This Professor Onuf, earning his very living from the past labors of Mr. Jefferson, founder of the University of Virginia, is now ready to, "KNOCK HIM OFF HIS LOFTY PEDESTAL (my caps)." Further he would like to "BANISH HIS TARNISHED MEMORY (my caps), from the great house that he helped build and we now inhabit." It is highly believeable that he has cleared this inaccurate statement with his sponsor, Monticello, who have REMOVED the word, "MEMORIAL" from their title. What is happening at Mr. Jefferson's seats of founding? Should not the funders of this project and the many donors to Monticello be asking some questions?

Now if some of these "talented" artists and writers had held to their professions instead of trying to MISINFORM and make INACCURATE statements about a non existant Jefferson/Hemings fiasco, the book would be a much better book. As it is, in my opinion, it seems to wind up as a sounding board to descredit Mr. Jefferson. No where did any writer, John Casteen, III, UVA President, Cinder Stanton, Monticello Historian, Peter Onuf, UVA Historian or the Editor, UVA Arts Director, Jill Hartz, inform the reader that thirteen top scholars released their year long research in the Scholars Commission Report of April 2001, link from www.tjheritage.org and found NO proof of a Thomas Jefferson-Sally Hemings relationship.

Yes, I encourage all independent thinking Americans to purchase this book and find out for themselves just how much these "authorities" actually know about Jefferson and what misinformation they are spreading.

By the way, I assisted Dr. Foster with the DNA Study and NOTHING proves that Thomas Jefferson fathered any Hemings or Woodson child. Professor Peter Onuf knows this and so does the Thomas Jefferson Foundation (Monticello owners), yet they continue to confuse and misinform the public.

The book's editor adds, speaking of these artists and writers, "they have confronted his NOW TARNISHED (my caps), perhaps more human, character."

In my opinion, this book is a "black eye" for the University and Monticello, sponsor of Professor Peter Onuf.

Herbert Barger
Jefferson Family Historian