Why Thomas Jefferson’s descendants want his memorial to come down

CNN's Poppy Harlow talks with Lucian Truscott and Shannon LaNier, descendants of Thomas Jefferson, about what they think of Jefferson's Memorial in Washington DC, as protestors tear down monuments and statues of slave owners and Confederate generals across the nation.
#CNN #News

95 comments

    1. @OutdoorIndoorVariety Not by radical Marxists. By radical Trotskyists.
      These people are followers of Trotsky, but they use a Marxist mask.

    2. @OutdoorIndoorVariety BLM may claim whatever they want. They have nothing to do with real Marxism.

    3. @Angel 1973 What about you being manipulated by CNN Fake News, being blind supporter of BLM and not to see all destruction that they bring to American cities and history?

    1. Arthur Schnapka A Marxist is someone that is for socialism and communism also the blm leaders literally said they are trained Marxists. you can find this on YouTube if they haven’t suppressed the video in terms of finding but this even came out of her own mouth.

    2. I’m right you’re wrong just because something is allowed does not make it morally correct.

    3. @gary Cook yeah well removing a statue doesn’t change a thing. Just pisses off a certain group of people and mabey raise awareness about racism. Just another ” road to nowhere ” idea.

  1. This is very refreshing to see. Tell the full story of history. Let’s start talking about founding mothers. Recognize other people.

    1. @Becky Lane As long as they are removed that’s all that matters. Even Columbus is removed. Awesome. Celebration time.

    2. @Richard Marsh you the wealthy percent of the country had slaves and also for example George Washington freed all of his slaves And though he promised in his will to free all of his workers when he died, only one of them immediately went free and nearly half of the enslaved people at Mount Vernon remained in bondage for decades. The reason why has to do with law, marriage and a family that disagreed with their patriarch’s (George Washington’s) evolving views on slavery.

    3. And Founding Gay Transgenders too. How come that they not in the list of Fathers of Nation???
      Lol. ))

    1. @K H Well you’re going to have a lot of patriots with guns defending them, so come on tough guy.

    2. While it may be true that some have, Sally Hemings had a lot of descendants by Tom, some of the identifying White, some Black, some Melugeon, some other.

      Black descendants fought hard to be able to buried in the Jefferson family plot. And some are. They identified with this man who was their ancestor. They wanted to be identified with him.

      Stunt? Do you get buried somewhere to spite someone?

      The annual Jefferson Family Reunion would be a great place to poll the family.

      All family members are welcome. There is a secessionist reunion which I started by those who didn’t want to associate with the Black and mixed family.

      If I ever have the very good fortune to go to one, I would certainly prefer the reunion that included the descendants by Sally. After all, she had 6 children by Tom, while Tom’s wife had but 3.

      Perhaps some sibling rivalry was involved. Sally was a present to Tom from Sally’s father, Tom’s father-in-law.
      Martha Jefferson, at their wedding.
      Sally’s sister, Martha, died young. Jefferson was distraught.

      Sally was literally the closest thing he could find to Martha. She was Tom’s slave. Could she consent or not consent. One who is a slave can hardly be considered to consent.

      I think Sally’s descendants should have a very big say in how this is resolved.

      I suggest Sally and her children deserve a prominent place inside the Jefferson Memorial.

      Sally’s descendants fight to be included in Family Reunion. They fought to be buried at Monticello near Tom.
      Should some White descendant of Tom
      have more of a say in the Memorial than the children of Tom and Sally?

      Isn’t their opinion actually more important than that of Lucien Truscott, IV, who finds shame in the Memorial?

      Maybe Sally and her children need to be inside the Memorial. Maybe that’s where they belong.

    3. Deborah Hennessey Geez Debbie what are you planning on doing to them? Do you know how off you’ve become?

  2. Why don’t we just vote on the statues like a democracy. Then get professionals to carefully remove them so as not to hurt anyone or our roads. Then put it in a museum.

    1. First of all, running for president does not make you wanting to take over the country. Second, Obama never expressed interest on or off the record about running for a third term. Third, Trump’s highest profile general endorsement was from twice-fired and disgraced Michael Flynn. Fourth, the Constitution didn’t initially prevent people from running for a third term. In fact, Franklin d Roosevelt was elected four times and it’s only in the last hundred years or so that two terms has been the maximum.

  3. Exactly!!! And having been to Monticello, it is enough of a monument. That was one of the best experiences as a black person learning white-made history. Like…exactly👏👏👏👏👏 (I can’t change the color of my emojis…I’m basic)

    1. IT WOULD BE GOOD IF THOSE WHITE DESCENDENTS ALSO PAID REPARATIONS TO BLACK FOLK LIKE ALL WHITES SHOULD – TAKING DOWN STATUES DOES NOT PUT FOOD ON A BLACK MAN’S TABLE

  4. Agreed!! Let’s tell the whole story. I remember in grade school what we were taught was very one sided.

    1. @Javier Fernandez A white man invented the cotton gin. All through out grade school they taught me Eli Whitney was black… Now, that is the problem with how we were taught in school.

    2. TONY yes your right but The Democrat party of today is not the Democratic Party of yesterday. That’s why all the racist left the Democratic Party around the 80s and jump to the Republican party. Even David Duke is a Republican now.

    3. TONY it’s not lie. Look at trump. He is sowing seeds of racism on what side. The republican side.

  5. Those genes didn’t go too far when you see his grandson 9xs over, dressed like him. The shape of his face, square chin ….both are remarkable men.

    1. Lol guess how many blacks came in after Jefferson… 8, the answer is 8 generations back to the black.

    2. @Boogaloo Bill He had at least 6 children with Sally, 4 survived to adulthood. Those 4 children may have married and so on and so forth. Genetics are sneaky little rascals that have a way of popping back into your life GENERATIONS after the original child was born. Blue eyes and red hair are always great examples, especially if both parents have dark hair and eyes. I imagine that if their are pictures of the 4 surviving children, you might be surprised to see what features are carried forward into future generations. I don’t look a thing like my mama’s side of the family, all dark hair, olive skin and the majority of them had chocolate eyes, all indicative of our Cherokee ancestory. I have a picture of my great-grannie 6-8 times past and she’s been so anglicized, it’s almost impossible to see her Native American roots. She was 100% pure Cherokee. My brother and cousins got a lot of the common traits. But, she had very large, distinct eyes that no one else in the immediate family has ever had, until my cousin, 6 months younger than myself, was born. You compare those pictures, and genetics are SNEAKY, just like Thomas’s secrets. But, eventually, the truth comes out.

    1. Nah, just take it down, and/or place someone of significance up, like a abolitionist, or someone who actually lived their principles like John Adams.

    2. Christopher Justice Couple of randoms that happened to be black who were guarding a barricade for BLM right across the street from the Wendy’s where Rayshard Brooks was shot…

      And they opened fire on the car as it pulled a u-turn passing by the barricade. Not trying to get money or steal the car. Literally shot the car up because they passed the protest barricade..that’s it.

      Randoms. Okay…

    3. Inside the Jefferson Memorial there should be a statute of Sally Hemings and her children. She is sitting down on a bench, and there is room for visitors to sit. And should be encouraged to.

      Behind her are her six children by Jefferson. The children should be in bronze of a lighter shade. A few of the grandchildren should be represented, including John Wayles Jefferson, the grandson of Sally and Tom. John “passed” for white.

      https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wayles_Jefferson

      Sally should be looking towards Tom. She should have a look that could be be considered a smirk, a smile, a reverie.

      Like Mona Lisa.

  6. Doctor Robert Lee, direct descendant of Robert E Lee also feels Robert E Lee’s statue should come down. That says a lot.

    1. @Ali B because cnn doesn’t feed you idiots news… It feeds you a narrate. They didn’t mention not of the 7 cops shot in the blm riots either.

    2. @Minerva Lynch it was a blm protestor. You idiots treat trump supporters like an organization all the time.

    1. @Ms M No, sorry, even though you are a descendant of the first people on earth who came from Africa, your people were not brought here on ships to be enslaved.

    2. @Ms M we are certainly owed reparations due to the systemic racism that has oppressed us for generations. My grandmother who recently passed away she was 103 born in 1917 her mother was enslaved and was raised as a share cropper and our generations are still dealing with racism. It’s a hard conversation to have but its needed.

    1. @Mike Well are your nephews and niece slaves? The emancipation literally outlawed slavery from the U.S. and several states followed suit to outlaw slavery.

    2. @Mike please educate yourself on black history if you have family members that are black. Slavery was introduced by Bartholomew de la Casas he thought Africans would be ideal in helping build and colonize the “new world”. Thusvthis created the Trans Atlantic slave trade where majority of the people were captured and forced into slavery. There are a few stories about Africans selling their own people but in the end white people benefited economically from it for generations.

    3. SALLY and Martha Jefferson were biological sisters. Sallys’ mother was raped by Martha’s father and Thomas was screwing two sisters – one Black the other White(his wife)

  7. Leave it up, or tear it down. BUT– add the whole story- just like his descendants are saying! Add the founding mother’s, etc… Tell the story just like at Monticello.

    1. David Butler let him stay in his cave😒the last time we civilized the fuvkers look where it got us😒

    2. Inside the Jefferson Memorial there should be a statute of Sally Hemings and her children. She is sitting down on a bench, and there is room for visitors to sit. And should be encouraged to.

      Behind her are her six children by Jefferson. The children should be in bronze of a lighter shade. A few of the grandchildren should be represented, including John Wayles Jefferson, the grandson of Sally and Tom. John “passed” for white.

      https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wayles_Jefferson

      Sally should be looking towards Tom. She should have a look that could be be considered a smirk, a smile, a reverie.

      Like Mona Lisa.

    3. @Mike
      Muslims pray in a MOSQUE or outside in downtown Toronto, every friday. It is TRULY A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT. EVERY “HUE IN THE RAINBOW” is represented and they are there in solidarity United by their faith. 💘 💕

    4. @Karasene 13
      Sally was actually His HALF SISTER-IN-LAW. She was the half sister of his wife.
      I’d like to suggest that you read the book. It is TRULY very interesting and then go to Charlottesville. Several “new” areas of the slave quarters have been unearthed. However, “Sally’s” quarters have been unearthed. Those were probably her quarters while his wife, Sally’s half sister was alive. Later, she slept in a small room in his bedroom.
      He freed all of his 1/2 children with Sally, she never left his side.
      Read the book.

  8. Our smartphones contribute to the slavery of Coltan mining in the Congo. Just saying

    1. @Roarshack Studios I know, but they would rather argue about people that are long dead instead of fix what’s happening in the present.

    1. Wtf is wrong with you goons who want to tear down our monuments? Next you will be outlawing the 4th of July. SICK

  9. How are we placing today’s “morals” on people that lived 200 years ago?! Is there not more important things to be doing than taking down inanimate objects. Country is falling like Rome

    1. Our “morals” are changing so fast, I don’t think Nancy Pelosi from five months ago could withstand lefty judgements of today.

  10. The history of the country as taught in schools is actually a mirage. If the truth is taught in its entirety would really be a healing experience and a benefit for all.

  11. Jefferson “never did much” to create a place where all are treated equal? What a bizarre world we live in, where a founding father, flawed as he was, would be said to have nothing to do with creating the first nation on earth to ever entertain such an idea.

    1. 😂😂😂 first nation to entertain the idea? 😂😂😂 Do you hear your own hypocrisy? 😂😂😂😂ROFLOL

    2. cj p did you see or hear how they talked about and treated Barack and Michelle?! He was voted in twice…. I didn’t realize that got rid of all of America’s racist past and present. . Everybody… we can stop complaining about racial injustice.. all of America voted in a Black President.. twice. We can all go home and sleep peacefully. Racism is over. Yayyyyyyy we won. 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 I see you like emojis. You’re welcome. Idiot.

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