Controversy Surrounds University of Virginia Campus Tours Amid Discussions of Thomas Jefferson’s History

The University of Virginia’s Edgar Shannon Library, located on the picturesque grounds of the university in Charlottesville, Virginia, has been at the center of controversy recently. The university has suspended campus tours that acknowledged founder Thomas Jefferson’s history of owning slaves, citing a lack of consistency in the content provided by the University Guide Services.

Conservative alumni group Jefferson Council has been pushing for the tour program to end, arguing that the volunteers discussing Jefferson as a slaveowner is not a title they want associated with him. However, council president Thomas Neale, a graduate of the University of Virginia, believes that Jefferson’s past should not be erased but contextualized. Neale points out that Jefferson was not only a slaveowner but also the nation’s third president and the author of the Declaration of Independence.

The news of the suspension of the campus tours comes on the heels of new appointees chosen by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who now control the university’s governing board of trustees. Neale emphasizes the importance of acknowledging Jefferson’s role in history, including the fact that he signed a law making importing slaves illegal in 1807, albeit with poor enforcement.

In response to the controversy, the University Guide Services expressed their desire to work with administrators to provide an honest and complete account of UVA and its history. They apologized to stakeholders, collaborators, community members, and students for not being able to fulfill their mission to the fullest extent this semester. The future of the campus tours remains uncertain as the university grapples with how to present Jefferson’s complex legacy to visitors.