FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 15, 2017
Media Contact: Mia Magruder Dammann
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA—Leslie Greene Bowman, president and CEO of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, issued the following statement in response to the torch-bearing protest in Lee Park:
"The Thomas Jefferson Foundation is deeply concerned about the events in Charlottesville this weekend and stands strongly against racism and bigotry in all its forms. These events underscore how the unresolved legacies of slavery and race continue to impact our society. At Monticello, we believe in sharing an honest, complicated and inclusive view of our history – common ground for every American."
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About The Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation was incorporated in 1923 to preserve Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Today, the foundation seeks to share Jefferson’s world, his ideas and the relevance of history with a national and global audience. Monticello is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and a United Nations World Heritage Site. As a private, nonprofit organization, the foundation’s regular operating budget does not receive ongoing government support to fund its twofold mission of preservation and education. About 440,000 people visit Monticello each year. For information, visit Monticello.org.