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Guide » A Guide to Finding Thomas Jefferson Quotations
A Guide to Finding Thomas Jefferson Quotes
Unfortunately Thomas Jefferson's writings and correspondence
have not yet been comprehensively published, so it is virtually
impossible to do an exhaustive search for a given quote. However,
his papers have been combed through by generations of historians
and researchers, and we must assume that any "good"
quotes have been extracted and published at some point. We have
listed the most useful of these published sources below, depending
on whether you are looking for a specific quote, or simply searching
for Jefferson quotes on a given topic.
Finding the Source of a Quote
If you have a quote and are looking to confirm that Jefferson
said it and/or provide a citation, we recommend the following
sources:
- Monticello
Web site. We have identified a number of the most well-known
Jefferson quotes on our Web site; they are organized by topic.
The Jefferson Library Web site also lists some well-known quotes
here.
- The
Jeffersonian Cyclopedia, edited by John P. Foley (New
York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1900). This extensive work excerpts
Thomas Jefferson's writings and letters to provide quotes organized
by topic. If possible, check citations against the Papers
of Thomas Jefferson, because the citations given in the
Cyclopedia are often not exactly dated.
- Thomas
Jefferson on Politics and Government, a collection of
quotes that is part of the UVA EText Center's Jefferson Collections.
- Jefferson
Writings, edited by Merrill D. Peterson. This is an
excellent collection of well-known Jefferson writings, and is
available online as well.
- The Quotable Jefferson, by John P. Kaminski (Princeton:
Princeton University Press, 2006). This new collection of Jefferson
quotes, arranged by topic, is only available in print, but a
good source to check.
- Thomas
Jefferson Papers at the Library of Congress. The portion
of Thomas Jefferson's papers that are at the Library of Congress
are keyword-searchable, but many are not transcribed.
- Papers
of Thomas Jefferson and the Papers of Thomas Jefferson:
Retirement Series. The definitive print edition of Jefferson's
papers has a cumulative index in volume 21, and an internal
index in each volume thereafter. The Papers volumes themselves
are not online, but click on the link above to view the indexes
for volumes 27-32.
- If you have not found your quote in any of the above sources,
you must consider the possibility that it may not be a genuine
Jefferson quote. See our Spurious Quotes
page for more information.
Finding Quotes on a Given Topic
- Monticello
Web site. We have identified a number of the most well-known
Jefferson quotes on our Web site; organized by topic. The Jefferson
Library Web site also lists some well-known quotes here.
- The
Jeffersonian Cyclopedia, edited by John P. Foley (New
York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1900). This extensive work excerpts
Thomas Jefferson's writings and letters to provide quotes organized
by topic. If possible, check citations against the Papers
of Thomas Jefferson, because the citations given in the
Cyclopedia are often not exactly dated.
- Thomas
Jefferson on Politics and Government, a collection of quotes
that is part of the UVA EText Center's Jefferson Collections.
- The Quotable Jefferson, by John P. Kaminski (Princeton:
Princeton University Press, 2006). This new collection of Jefferson
quotes, arranged by topic, is only available in print, but a
good source to check.
For additional assistance, contact the
library.
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