Thomas Jefferson: A Film by Ken Burns

In recognition of the 250th anniversary of America's Declaration of Independence, View will screen Ken Burns' two-part, three-hour documentary focusing on the reluctant author of that document, Thomas Jefferson.  History shows he was much more than that, however.  Indeed, he was a self-made renaissance man – a scholar, a philosopher, a diplomat, an aesthete, and an architect. As a young man, he was transformed by the fire of the Enlightenment into America’s most articulate voice for human liberty. Torn between his desire for a serene family life at Monticello and his passion for politics, Jefferson endured ceaseless, heartrending personal loss. As President, he helped create the first American political party, and with the Louisiana Purchase, more than doubled the size of the new nation. Jefferson’s last years were spent founding the University of Virginia and reestablishing his friendship, after decades of estrangement, from his onetime rival John Adams. His influence on and vision for our country reverberates to this day.  

The portrait of this many-faceted founding father comes to life through the lens of consummate documentarian, Ken Burns, and the employment of noted actors reading the lines of various historical figures, including Sam Waterston as Thomas Jefferson, Blythe Danner as Martha Jefferson, and Gwyneth Paltrow as Jefferson's granddaughter.

Part 1 of Thomas Jefferson will be shown on Monday, March 16 at 7pm, and Part 2 will be shown on Monday, March 30 at 7pm. The screenings are FREE to attend. A cash bar and popcorn will be available.