Jefferson’s Pillow (Magill’s Literary Annual 1991-2005)
At a glance:
- Author: Roger Wilkins
- First Published: 2001
- Type of Work: History
- Time of Work: 1776-1800
- Setting: Virginia
- Principal Characters: Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, George Mason, James Madison
- Genres: Nonfiction, History
- Subjects: Virginia, North America or North Americans, United States or Americans, South or Southerners, Slavery or slaves, American Revolution, Eighteenth century, Politicians, Presidents
- Locales: Virginia
The Declaration of Independence states that “all men are created equal,” in what is perhaps the most famous sentence in American political literature. How could Thomas Jefferson, who penned those immortal words, believe so passionately in personal liberty and at the same time be the owner almost a hundred slaves?
The title “Jefferson’s pillow” refers to one of Thomas Jefferson’s earliest childhood memories—that of being carried on a pillow by a slave. Roger Wilkins employs this image to show that from his birth to his death, Jefferson had built his life, his fame,...
[The entire page is 1869 words long]
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