Listening to America
Episodes
#1402 Monuments
04 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, as Clay Jenkinson puts it, "a really difficult conversation about an essential subject." Jenkinson and Professor Joseph Ellis discuss their...
#1401 Match Recap with Joseph Ellis
28 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joseph Ellis and Clay Jenkinson revisit their debate about who the "Indispensable Man" of the American Revolution truly was. We share listener comment...
#1400 Prairie Woods
21 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We enjoy three conversations this week with friends of the Jefferson Hour: luthier Kevin Muiderman, who announces a special guitar auction for the ben...
#1399 The Cabinet with Lindsay M. Chervinsky
14 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week author and White House historian Lindsay M. Chervinsky discusses her new book, The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an America...
#1398 The Indispensable Man
07 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week in an interesting debate match, Clay Jenkinson and Joseph Ellis argue over who is the "Indispensable Man" of the American Revolution. Ellis ...
#1397 4th of July
30 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Our annual Independence Day show, one of only two holidays that Jefferson celebrated. We are joined by Joseph Ellis who shares some perspective on the...
#1396 Joe's Questions
23 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week author and historian Joseph J. Ellis turns the tables as he interviews Clay Jenkinson about his new book, Repairing Jefferson's America: A ...
Complicity
18 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Clay and David discuss the protests after the killing of George Floyd.
#1395 The Few and the Many
16 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week author and historian Joseph J. Ellis and Thomas Jefferson Hour creator Clay S. Jenkinson extend their ongoing conversation about the Jeffers...
#1394 Day Books and Journals
09 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week on the Jefferson hour, a conversation with David Nicandri about his new book "Lewis and Clark Reframed: Examining Ties to Cook, Vancouver an...
#1393 Memorial Day
02 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week Joseph Ellis and Clay S. Jenkinson share thoughts on Memorial Day and also answer listener questions. Mr. Ellis says that historians must pu...
#1392 Self-Reliance
26 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Thomas Jefferson Hour, the conversation is driven by our listeners who report in on how they are dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. ...
#1391 Jefferson-Adams Letters (Part Four)
19 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week we present the fourth and final of four conversations between the author and historian Joseph J. Ellis and The Thomas Jefferson Hour creator...
#1390 Jefferson-Adams Letters (Part Three)
13 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week we present the third of four conversations between the author and historian Joseph J. Ellis and The Thomas Jefferson Hour creator Clay S. Je...
#1389 Jefferson-Adams Letters (Part Two)
06 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We present the second of four conversations between the author and historian Joseph J. Ellis and The Thomas Jefferson Hour creator Clay S. Jenkinson a...
#1388 Jefferson-Adams Letters (Part One)
29 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We present the first of four conversations between the author and historian Joseph J. Ellis and The Thomas Jefferson Hour creator Clay S. Jenkinson ab...
#1387 Leadership During Crisis
22 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for a conversation with Joseph J. Ellis, an American historian whose work focuses on the founders of the United States of America. His books i...
#1386 Yellow Fever with Stephen Fried
15 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"The Yellow Fever was the first epidemic after America became America." — Stephen Fried We are joined this week by Stephen Fried, the award-winnin...
#1385 Virtual Virus (Part Two)
07 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week in the second of a two part program we hear from Jefferson Hour listeners from around the country about how the coronavirus is affecting the...
#1384 Virtual Virus (Part One)
31 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week in the first of a two part program we hear from Jefferson Hour listeners from around the country about how the coronavirus is affecting them...
#1383 Out of Tights
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On February 25, 2020, Clay Jenkinson appeared before a sold out crowd at the TCC Roper Performing Arts Center in Norfolk, Virginia for his new perform...
#1382 The Yellow Fever of 1793
17 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the Philadelphia Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793. Philadelphia's population at that time was approximately 50,000, and before it was over 1 i...
#1381 No Kings, No Queens
10 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
President Jefferson responds to questions submitted by listeners including inquiries about the rise of political parties during Jefferson's time, Jeff...
#1380 Cuba Libre
03 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"I candidly confess that I have ever looked on Cuba as the most interesting addition which could ever be made to our system of states." — Thomas Jef...
#1379 Constituents Represented
25 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Nobody is entitled to a career in the Senate or a career in the House or a career in the governor's mansion, and the people who aspire to that are co...
#1378 More TJ Please
18 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Prompted by a listener's request to spend more time talking to Mister Jefferson, we devote this episode to presenting questions to Jefferson, such as ...
#1377 Naturalist in the Arena
11 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We're joined by Char Miller to discuss a new book, Theodore Roosevelt, Naturalist in the Arena. The book is a collection of noted essays by Roosevelt ...
#1376 Historian's Perspective
04 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We are joined this week by one of our favorite guests, Professor Joseph Ellis. Ellis is a Pulitzer Prize winning author and American historian whose w...
#1375 Catherine's Story
28 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we answer questions about Meriwether Lewis and the conspiracy theories attached to his death, along with discussion about Clay Jenkinson's ...
#1374 Double Cheese Please
21 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We have added a call in line at jeffersonhour.com/ask for listeners to leave questions they would like answered, and this week on the Thomas Jefferso...
#1373 Separation of Powers
14 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we speak with President Jefferson about the separation of powers: the division of the legislative, executive, and judicial powers enumerate...
#1372 Incarceration
07 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week's guest host Catherine Jenkinson speaks with President Jefferson about incarceration policies in early and present day America. Jefferson wa...
#1371 The New Year
01 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we welcome back Catherine Jenkinson as guest host. She and Clay Jenkinson discuss the celebrations of the new year and how the calendar has...
#1370 Jefferson's Impeachments
24 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We speak with President Thomas Jefferson about the impeachments that took place during his presidency. There were two impeachments of federal judges, ...
Rewriting the Constitution
20 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"That's the point of a constitutional revision: to clarify." — Clay S. Jenkinson portraying Thomas Jefferson Find this episode, along with recommend...
#1369 Four Scholars
17 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"I take absolutely no joy in any of this. This is a national catastrophe, a tragedy." — Clay S. Jenkinson On December 4, 2019, four constitutional s...
#1368 Benjamin Franklin's Puffy Rolls
10 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"What's the use of a newborn baby?" Benjamin Franklin was considered "the grand old man" of the American Revolution, and when questioned about what th...
1776 Club Preview: Working with Ken Burns
09 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"So he records in a barn? Where'd he get that?" jeffersonhour.bandcamp.com/album/working-with-ken-burns Find this episode, along with recommended read...
#1367 Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson
03 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"For Franklin, knowledge was important, but application of knowledge ... mattered to him as much as any pure science." — Clay S. Jenkinson Thomas Je...
#1366 American Creation with Joseph Ellis
26 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"Understand him for his flaws as well as for his greatness." — Joe Ellis We welcome historian Joseph Ellis to the program this week to talk about ...
1776 Club Preview: Storytelling
22 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
You can hear this 1776 Club episode here: https://jeffersonhour.bandcamp.com/album/storytelling Clay and David discuss storytelling, documentary film-...
#1365 Back from France
19 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"Jefferson admits [to John] Adams, you were right and I was wrong about the French Revolution." — Joseph J. Ellis We welcome Clay Jenkinson back fro...
#1364 Listener Questions
12 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's out-of-character program, our conversation is spent answering and responding to listener questions. Subjects included are Catherine Jen...
#1363 The Social Contract
05 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
President Thomas Jefferson speaks about the formation of the government of the United States. Jefferson explains the social contract theory that when ...
#1362 Gardens to Miniatures
29 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We are joined this week on the Thomas Jefferson Hour by three of our favorite friends: Pat Brodowski, Beau Wright, and Brad Crisler. Pat Brodowski is ...
#1361 Constitution in Crisis
22 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We speak with President Jefferson about the role of government in the oversight of elected officials. He tells us that because of the times they lived...
#1360 To Cuba
15 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We are joined again this week by Catherine Jenkinson acting as guest host for a delightful conversation about Cuba, Clay's upcoming cultural tour to C...
#1359 To Oxford
08 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Thomas Jefferson Hour creator Clay S. Jenkinson is joined by his daughter Catherine who serves as this week's guest host. Among the many topics discus...
#1358 Robinson Crusoe
01 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"It's a classic enlightenment story: a novel in the history of ideas about how civilization is created from nothing." — Clay S. Jenkinson We prese...
#1357 The Dempster Highway
24 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We are joined this week by David Nicandri, one of the most respected Lewis and Clark scholars in the country. His book, "River of Promise - Lewis & Cl...
#1356 Considering Exceptionalism
17 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Prompted by a letter from a listener, President Thomas Jefferson shares his views on American exceptionalism and his hope that America will stand as ...
#1355 Inventive Behavior
10 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
President Thomas Jefferson speaks to us this week about inventions and scientific discoveries of his time including some he was responsible for. Find ...
#1354 In 1969
03 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week we speak with Thomas Jefferson briefly about Alexander von Humbolt, and then bring Jefferson closer to our time by informing him that 50 yea...
#1353 Humboldt and Jefferson
27 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"He was iconic in the world's idea of what a nation could possibly be, and what an enlightened leader could possibly be." — Clay S. Jenkinson portra...
#1352 Clunky Adjectives
20 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode, President Thomas Jefferson answers listener questions, as does Thomas Jefferson Hour creator Clay S. Jenkinson. Subjects discu...
#1351 Eight Objects
13 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Clay Jenkinson has returned from his annual Lewis and Clark trip in Montana and Idaho, and he gives us a report on the 2019 tour. Clay also offers a l...
#1350 Diamonds and Dunghills
06 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Clay takes a deeper look at Jefferson and religion. Jefferson considered the teachings of Jesus as having "the most sublime and benevolent ...
#1349 Jefferson's Soul
30 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On August 20th, 1814, Thomas Jefferson received a letter from Miles King expressing King's concerns for Jefferson's eternal soul. King wrote, "And now...
#1348 Tulip Poplars
23 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo moon landing and then are joined by two special guests. Jeff Huss of the Huss and Dalton Guitar Company ...
#1347 Chernow's Hamilton
16 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"Jefferson comes off as a Machiavellian figure in this book, as not all together reliable and not always truthful in his epic fight against Hamilton."...
#1346 In Search of America
09 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"Mayor Pete of South Bend is saying that he would welcome certain erasures of Jefferson from our public discourse." — Clay S. Jenkinson Clay has ret...
#1345 Independence Day
02 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For our annual Jefferson Hour 4th of July show, we speak with President Jefferson (as portrayed by humanities scholar Clay S. Jenkinson) about the fou...
The Supreme Court
28 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"It is a necessary evil, and the more we rein it in, the happier and freer we shall be." — Clay S. Jenkinson portraying Thomas Jefferson Find this e...
#1344 Baked In
25 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week we speak with humanities scholar Clay S. Jenkinson about how rigid people's political thoughts have become during our time, George Will's ob...
The Wealth of Nations
21 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"Every individual [is] led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention." — Adam Smith Find this episode, along with re...
#1343 Forty Books
18 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"He's never happier than when he can recommend a course of reading to somebody else." — Clay S. Jenkinson President Jefferson tells us what books he...
Presidential Indictments
14 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"I refused to honor the subpoena but I did voluntarily supply some of the documents." — Clay S. Jenkinson portraying Thomas Jefferson Find this epi...
#1342 Dressing Down
11 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"He was drest, or rather undrest, with an old brown coat, red waistcoat, old corduroy small clothes, much soiled-woolen hose-and slippers without heel...
Clay in Search of America: Granby, CO
07 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Clay calls in to talk with David about his travels. Follow along as Clay searches for America on his Steinbeck-inspired journey across the country. Cl...
#1341 Dinner with Jefferson
04 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend." — Thomas Jefferson, 18...
#1340 A Gloom Unbrightened
28 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We speak with President Jefferson this week about death and suicide, specifically about the deaths of Meriwether Lewis, James Hemmings and Alexander H...
#1339 Questions and Answers
21 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"Those forty books made a difference in his life, because he grew up in a house where there were books and book culture." — Clay S. Jenkinson This w...
#1338 Notes on the State of Virginia
14 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." — Thomas Jefferso...
#1337 The Vaunted Scene
07 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"Behold me at length on the vaunted scene of Europe! […] I find the general fate of humanity here, most deplorable. The truth of Voltaire's observat...
#1336 Brodowski and Wright
30 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"It's such a gift. Every day." — Pat Brodowski We speak with two of our favorite Jefferson Hour correspondents: Pat Brodowski, the head gardener at ...
#1335 The Mustard Seed
23 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"You feel the wonderment of nature at its finest … it's a deep, deep, deep cultural memory of the miracle of the seed." — Clay S. Jenkinson We ans...
#1334 Benjamin Rush with Stephen Fried
16 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"He and Jefferson talked about everything." — Stephen Fried Benjamin Rush was a physician, politician, social reformer, humanitarian, educator, and...
#1333 The Constitution Today
09 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"I don't think, from my point of view, you can think that the Constitution is sacred." — Clay S. Jenkinson We discuss Akhil Reed Amar's The Constitu...
Let Us Read the Mueller Report
04 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
I confess that I did in fact think that more indictments were coming, perhaps even within the Trump family. I did think that Special Prosecutor Muelle...
#1332 Smallpox
02 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"Having been among the early converts, in this part of the globe, to [the smallpox vaccine's] efficiency, I took an early part in recommending it to m...
Ne Plus Ultra
29 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"I would have liked to have had Canada. Twice, we invaded Canada during my lifetime, and failed on both occasions." — Clay S. Jenkinson portraying T...
#1331 Young Washington with Peter Stark
26 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"The French ... thought it was an assassination, a war crime, that Washington was a murderer." — Peter Stark We speak with Peter Stark, author of Yo...
#1330 Wilderness and War
19 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"This book reveals [Washington] as a man of emotion, raw emotion." — Clay S. Jenkinson In anticipation of our conversation next week with Peter Star...
#1329 Laboratories of Democracy
12 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"I am a loyal, proud, cheerleading sort of North Dakotan." — Clay S. Jenkinson A listener in Texas admonishes Clay for offering to give up a North D...
#1328 Constitutional Correspondence
05 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"What would fix this country? Almost the number one thing would be: take money out of politics." — Clay S. Jenkinson We continue our current theme o...
Appropriations
01 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Find this episode, along with recommended reading, on the blog. Support the show by joining the 1776 Club or by donating to the Thomas Jefferson ...
#1327 Complex Compromises
26 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jefferson answers questions about the Constitution, including topics like presidential pardon power, natural-born citizen requirements, and the consti...
#1326 No Just Government Should Refuse
19 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"Let me add that a bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, & what no just governme...
#1325 Pax Americana
12 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We answer listener questions this week, and we identify a specific melon seed that Pat Brodowski, the head gardener at Monticello, mentioned on a past...
#1324 Lochsa
05 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free." — Thomas Jefferson, 1821 Clay Jenkinson returns from ...
#1323 The Only Security of All Is in a Free Press
29 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a mome...
#1322 Roosevelt and Jefferson
22 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"Few people grow in office; few people grow in life. Roosevelt grew in life. He became more interesting, more sensitive, more thoughtful ... [Roosevel...
Government Shutdowns
18 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"There must be a better way for the political factions of your time to sort out their differences." — Clay S. Jenkinson portraying Thomas Jefferson ...
#1321 January First
15 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
January 1st was an important day to Thomas Jefferson for many reasons. This week, we speak with President Jefferson about notable New Year's Day occur...
#1320 Looking Forward
08 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"It's going to be a pivotal year in American history." - Clay S. Jenkinson We look forward to 2019 and discuss some of the episode topics that have be...
#1319 Looking Back
01 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"I really loved the year 2018, but I'm even more looking forward to the year 2019." — Clay S. Jenkinson We look back at 2018 and wish everyone a hap...
#1318 Was Thomas Jefferson a Christian?
25 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
"I believe so strongly that Jefferson was right about separation of church and state." — Clay S. Jenkinson We wish all a Merry Christmas from ...
Edmond-Charles Genêt
21 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
"We couldn't allow a French national to be here, stirring up anti-administration feeling in this country, or fitting out privateers in our wars." — ...
#1317 Madison's Letters
18 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
"Jefferson yielded to Madison's stronger concern. He needed him and he trusted him." — Clay S. Jenkinson Clay and David discuss a number of letters ...
Liberal Education
14 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
"You can have all the information in the world, but it doesn't mean anything unless you have a mental matrix with which to absorb it, evaluate it, ana...