One of the loveliest memorials in Washington, the Jefferson is especially attractive during cherry blossom time.  It was dedicated by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938.

Thomas Jefferson was the American Revolution's philosopher, a true renaissance man.  He was a writer, composer, architect, musician, collector, politician, scientist, manufacturer, builder and more.  He was also a slave owner.  The great irony of Jefferson's life--and, in the words of Edmund Morgan, the great paradox of American history--is that the man who wrote, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and are endowed by their creator with ... liberty" could have deprived over two hundred souls of their liberty until the end of his life.  The degree to which that fact diminishes our view of Jefferson is for each to decide; it depends upon how we see the world of Jefferson's time.  The recent revelations about his likely affair with slave Sally Hemings are also a necessary part of our evaluation, and in the absence of absolute proof one way or another, that issue will continue to be controversial.
    Whatever we decide individually, the fact is that "Jefferson lives"; those were John  Adams's last words, spoken on July 4th, 1826, sadly, just a few hours after Jefferson himself had in fact died.  As Adams said, Jefferson does live in our political heritage and in our imagination.  Flawed as he may be, he is nevertheless one of our heroes.