Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Demovictory9

(32,324 posts)
Mon Sep 21, 2020, 05:14 PM Sep 2020

$20K of Acrylic Now Protects Jefferson's Headstone



A $20,000 acrylic case now protects Thomas Jefferson's original headstone on the University of Missouri campus, a response to vandalism to a Jefferson statue that is also on campus and graffiti written on the sidewalk during the summer making reference to Sally Hemings, a slave who gave birth to children fathered by the third president. The clear case was installed Saturday over the granite obelisk that was originally erected at Monticello in Virginia in 1833. It was replaced in 1883 and given to the University of Missouri. It's unclear why, though it was the first state university established in the territory of the Louisiana Purchase, which was made when Jefferson was president, and was established with the University of Virginia as a model. Jefferson’s original tombstone "was entrusted to the university and we have a responsibility to [ensure] that it is preserved appropriately," spokesman Christian Basi said.

Chancellor Mun Choi this summer refused to remove the Jefferson statue, prompting a student, Roman Leaphart, to begin a petition drive seeking removal of the monument to “a racist slave owner.” Choi said at the time that the university would move to put Jefferson's complex history into context. A task force that includes students, faculty, and others is working on that project toward a goal of making recommendations by the spring, Basi said. There are two relics associated with the grave marker, reports the AP. The obelisk holds a replica of a marble plaque with the inscription Jefferson wrote for his grave: “Here was buried Thomas Jefferson; Author of the Declaration of American Independence; of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom; Father of the University of Virginia.”

https://www.newser.com/story/296489/20k-of-acrylic-now-protects-jeffersons-headstone.html?utm_source=part&utm_medium=uol&utm_campaign=rss_world_img_b
2 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
$20K of Acrylic Now Protects Jefferson's Headstone (Original Post) Demovictory9 Sep 2020 OP
Post removed Post removed Sep 2020 #1
You can easily put Hello Kitty stickers all over it to hide it now. nt chowder66 Sep 2020 #2

Response to Demovictory9 (Original post)

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»$20K of Acrylic Now Prote...