A little reason to celebrate
Thomas Jefferson Day
History ยท April 13
A day for learning about Thomas Jefferson, the third US president, principal author of the Declaration of Independence and founder of a university.
Thomas Jefferson Day falls on Tuesday, April 13, 2027. That is 168 days away.
Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States and the main author of the Declaration of Independence. He was also a lawyer, a diplomat, an architect and a farmer, with interests that ran in more directions than most people manage in a lifetime.
His home, Monticello, sits on a hilltop in central Virginia. He designed it himself and kept changing it for decades, adding a dome, rearranging rooms and filling it with gadgets and books. He also founded the University of Virginia and planned its central grounds, called the Academical Village.
Jefferson wrote constantly. Thousands of his letters survive, covering politics, gardening, weather, wine and the price of nails. Reading a few of them gives a sense of a restless, curious mind. His history is also complicated. He wrote that all men are created equal while enslaving hundreds of people throughout his life, and many historians now study both sides of that record together.
People mark the day mostly by reading and visiting. Some reread the Declaration of Independence. Others look at his architecture, his garden notes or his long list of vegetables grown at Monticello. The nickel in your pocket is an easy starting point: his portrait is on the front and Monticello is on the back.
Ways to celebrate
- Read the Declaration of Independence from start to finish.
- Look at the back of a nickel to find Monticello.
- Read a few of Jefferson's letters online through a library archive.
- Visit a local library display or historic site about early American history.
- Learn about the people enslaved at Monticello and their lives.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Monday, April 13 |
| 2027 | Tuesday, April 13 |
| 2028 | Thursday, April 13 |
| 2029 | Friday, April 13 |
| 2030 | Saturday, April 13 |
Also on April 13
Categories: History days