A National Archives -American Conversation- with Thomas Jefferson
Press Release · Wednesday, June 7, 2006

Press Release
June 7, 2006

A National Archives "American Conversation" with Thomas Jefferson

IMPORTANT NOTE: due to recent floods and electrical outages, the National Archives Building in Washington, DC is closed. This portion of the July 4 programs has been CANCELLED.

Washington, DC… Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States, will join Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein for an "American Conversation" on Tuesday, July 4 at 2:30 p.m. Mr. Jefferson will discuss his life as a statesman, president, scholar, and Founding Father.

This program is part of a new National Archives series of discussions on American history and identity. Lynne Cheney, Lonnie Bunch, Ken Burns, Hillary Clinton, and John Hope Franklin were featured in previous "American Conversations." Videos of past programs may be viewed on the National Archives web site at: http://www.archives.gov/about/archivist/conversations/.

Events in this series are held in the William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, located on the National Mall at Constitution Avenue and 7th Street, NW, and fully accessible. All programs in the "American Conversations" series are free and open to the public. To request an accommodation (e.g., sign language interpreter) for a public program, please e-mail public.program@nara.gov or call 202-357-5000 at least two weeks prior to the event to ensure proper arrangements are secured.

Thomas Jefferson, the writer of the Declaration of Independence, served his country as Congressman, Governor, Ambassador, the first Secretary of State, Vice President, and President. Although "Renaissance man" Jefferson was a lawyer, architect, inventor, and musician, he listed his primary occupation as "farmer."

Steven Edenbo portrays Thomas Jefferson. With his uncanny resemblance to the red-headed Virginian, Edenbo is fast becoming recognized as a premier interpreter of Jefferson, one of America's most colorful founding fathers. He appears through the American Historical Theatre of Philadelphia.

Allen Weinstein was confirmed as the ninth Archivist of the United States in February 2005. Professor Weinstein, a former Professor of History who has held positions at Boston University, Georgetown University, and Smith College, is the author of numerous essays and books, including The Story of America (2002), The Haunted Wood: Soviet Espionage in America—The Stalin Era (1999), Perjury: The Hiss-Chambers Case (1978 & 1997), and Freedom and Crisis: An American History (3rd edition, 1981). From 1985 to 2003, he served as President of The Center for Democracy in Washington, DC. His international awards include the United Nations Peace Medal (1986).

# # #

For press information, contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at (202) 357-5300.

06-113

Top of Page