In the Course of Human Events

Robert Hemmings's Signature

The Life and "Happiness" of Martha Wayles Jefferson

The Fantastic Tale of Selim the Algerian

The Fiery Arch: Celebrating the Treaty of Paris

Benjamin Banneker Challenges Thomas Jefferson

"That Evil Genius": Ellen Wayles Randolph

Edward Coles Challenges Thomas Jefferson on Slavery

A Washington Fish Tale

The “Calamitous” Citizen Genet

Thomas Jefferson’s Two No Good, Very Bad Days

The Most Bold and Daring Act of the Age

Peter Hemings, an Enslaved Master Brewer

A Woman of Extraordinary Ability: The Remarkable Journey of Elizabeth House Trist

“Idle Ramblers Incapable of Application” — The 1825 Riots at the University of Virginia

The Merry Affair

The Murder of George Wythe

Freedom, 8 Cents at a Time – the Story of Moses Williams

Restoring Monticello's Flower Gardens

William Monroe Trotter Battles "Birth of a Nation"

Trailblazer. Newspaper publisher. Civil rights titan.Meet William Monroe Trotter, one of the most influential descendants of Monticello’s enslaved community—and someone who too many people have never heard of. In this episode we discuss Trotter’s life, legacy, and determined (but ultimately unsuccessful) effort to stop the release of the notoriously racist 1915 film “Birth of a Nation.”

A Difficult Visit: Anna Maria Thornton

What was a visit to Jefferson's home back in day? In her diary from 1802, prominent Washington, D.C., socialite and diarist, Anna Maria Thornton, described a difficult trek up Monticello mountain and her disappointment in the conditions she found there. Monticello guide Danna Kelley tells the story with help from two colleagues.

The Election of 1800

History has remembered the Election of 1800, pitting John Adams against Thomas Jefferson, as a bitterly contested—some might say nasty—affair. Historian Edward Larson shares the story of this unprecedented campaign, the surprising results that nearly tore our young nation apart, and the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that ultimately led to the first peaceful transfer of power in American history.

A Tragic Marriage: Charles and Ann Cary Bankhead

Former Monticello Guide Katy Gehred tells the story of Jefferson’s granddaughter Ann Cary Randolph whose marriage to an alcoholic was the source of much grief.

Thomas Jefferson’s Grand Day Out in London

Monticello guide David Thorson details the events of March 21, 1786, a day of shopping and entertainment in London for Thomas Jefferson.