Thomas Jefferson, architect

Thomas Jefferson is revered as America's third president, first secretary of state, and the main author of the Declaration of Independence. What's less well-known is his role as an architect who helped shape the look of early America. An exhibition at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia is exploring that legacy in a very modern way. Correspondent Brook Silva-Braga reports on Jefferson's influence on architecture, and on the upcoming dedication at the University of Virginia - a campus he designed - of a memorial to "enslaved laborers."
Watch "CBS This Morning" HERE: bit.ly/1T88yAR
Download the CBS News app on iOS HERE: apple.co/1tRNnUy
Download the CBS News app on Android HERE: bit.ly/1IcphuX
Like "CBS This Morning" on Facebook HERE: on. 1LhtdvI
Follow "CBS This Morning" on Twitter HERE: bit.ly/1Xj5W3p
Follow "CBS This Morning" on Instagram HERE: bit.ly/1Q7NGnY
Get new episodes of shows you love across devices the next day, stream local news live, and watch full seasons of CBS fan favorites anytime, anywhere with CBS All Access. Try it free! bit.ly/1OQA29B
Each weekday morning, "CBS This Morning" co-hosts Gayle King, Anthony Mason and Tony Dokoupil deliver two hours of original reporting, breaking news and top-level newsmaker interviews in an engaging and informative format that challenges the norm in network morning news programs. The broadcast has earned a prestigious Peabody Award, a Polk Award, four News & Documentary Emmys, three Daytime Emmys and the 2017 Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast. The broadcast was also honored with an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award as part of CBS News division-wide coverage of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Check local listings for "CBS This Morning" broadcast times.

[@harrisonwoods9121]

Something important to know about Jefferson’s slaves is that it was illegal to free slaves according to the law of the period. And that Jefferson wanted to make slavery illegal, but since all 13 states needed to agree on it he was not able to make it illegal.

[@Jo4sh12]

It is really sad that CBS would even air the clip of Janis Underwood. Thomas Jefferson wrote one of the most, if not the most, profound documents in all of human history arguing for human equality. He ended the importation of slaves into America, and he attempted to include in the Declaration a criticism of slavery but was overruled. He was against slavery at the highest levels of the American government. If it was up to him, slavery would have been abolished during his times. All of his writings reflect that fact. He was certainly a flawed person, NO ONE disputes that, but to sit here in 2020 and question whether his statue belongs on the site of the Virginia capitol which he designed is really quite disgraceful.

[@shamilarifeen380]

It's not disgraceful. It's a question of integrity. Designing and owning the Virginia Capitol are two different things. The public representatives of Virginia must decide whether to be grateful to him or to preserve the very values that he stood for

[@user-sd5vh1mx5x]

Mic Drop!

[@user-sd5vh1mx5x]

​@@shamilarifeen380 Oh holier than thou

[@livid_productions5519]

Little known fact one learns upon reading his autobiography and the original draft for the Declaration of Independence: he wrote a section condemning slavery and calling for it to have no place in America's foundation. It was stricken out after New Jersey and South Carolina's representatives in Congress swayed the rest that slavery was crucial to the economy.

[@ruddle-tango]

I am black, and for all his other human flaws, I believe president Thomas Jefferson is a great American!

[@acevent5759]

Where is this ?

[@stargazer5073]

Truth is the best teacher!

[@JuanCarlosV891]

Yes architect... I wonder how many remains are under the White House that belong to innocent Africans who where forced to build all these historical monuments?

[@lamontburgest706]

Right right right....he *owned human beings* just be real about it. And cut that damn check!

[@unclelester9701]

You know he was mostly anti slavery, he only did it Becuase he needed a way to profit and not become homeless, and also the White House wasnt built by slaves alone, also it was built before his presidency and vice presidency

[@JuanCarlosV891]

Uncle Lester It’s sad when the British empire made it OUTLAWED to own or sell or even trade slaves before this country did. They did it in 1833 we did ours in 1865 and it wasn’t even optional there was a civil war because people cared about PROFITS

[@shamilarifeen380]

@@unclelester9701 First of all, that doesn't justify his actions. Secondly, slaves, however little or privately owned, were forced to build the White House.

[@chaosXP3RT]

What's your point?

[@amandamartin8788]

I can't watch these distorted lies!

[@shamilarifeen380]

What lies? History is history. Plain facts. Distorting and teaching it like you were taught at school isn't history. It's propaganda. Jefferson was a slaveholder to the very end while also an important American. Learn to accept that

[@hunterfields4566]

i love you

[@CherryBlossomskt]

Happy that Sally Hemmings got a mention!

[@dedalus6982]

So Trump is like Thomas Jefferson, they both like to build things.

[@moussaouizineb4746]

Wealty of Congress Thomas Jefferson