Philip I. Eliasoph Open VISIONS Forum: Espresso - Andrew Davenport, PhD

“Thomas Jefferson’s Paradoxes: Monticello, Miss Hemings, and Me”

Andrew M. Davenport, PhD, is the Vice President for Research and Saunders Director of the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. He has published academic articles on Thomas Jefferson’s death and legacies, on Ralph Ellison in mid-20th century New York City, and on the influence of Black literature on post-World War II French culture. He has also published in Lapham’s Quarterly, Literary Matters, Los Angeles Review of Books, and Smithsonian Magazine.

A 2008 Fairfield Prep graduate and Fairfield University alumnus, Dr. Davenport serves on the board of directors of the American Agora Foundation and is a member of the inaugural cohort of the White House Historical Association Next-Gen Leadership Ambassadors. He earned a BA in English from Kenyon College, an MA in American Studies from Fairfield University, and an MA and PhD in U.S. History from Georgetown University.