The Bainbridge Island Historical Museum has invited Thomas Jefferson to Bainbridge for a special one-night-only appearance (it’s a long trip here from 1826) at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19 in the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art auditorium.
The founding father will be played by Clay Jenkinson, a nationally renowned humanities scholar, author and social commentator.
Jenkinson is considered to be one of the most entertaining public speakers in the United States. He has lectured about and portrayed Jefferson in 49 states over the last 15 years.
He has been a researcher and commentator on Jefferson for Ken Burn’s film “Thomas Jefferson” and recently many enjoyed his insights in Burn’s “The Roosevelts” film on PBS. He is host of the nationally syndicated National Public Radio show “The Thomas Jefferson Hour” and author of “Becoming Jefferson’s People: Re-Inventing the American Republic in the Twenty-first Century.”
In addition to Jefferson, Jenkinson has researched and portrayed other national historical figures including Teddy Roosevelt, Meriwether Lewis, Robert Oppenheimer, John Steinbeck and John Wesley Powell.
Jenkinson has been honored by two presidents for his work.
President George Bush awarded him the Charles Frankel Prize, the National Endowment for the Humanities highest award (now called the National Humanities Medal), and, in 1994 he was the first public humanities scholar to present a program at a White House-sponsored event when he portrayed Thomas Jefferson for a gathering hosted by President Clinton.
For the Bainbridge program, Jenkinson will utilize the historical Chautauqua form — a monologue in costume as Jefferson, a Q&A session in character and then finally a Q&A as himself.
The evening will be fun, informative and thought-provoking.
Tickets to this special event are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.bainbridgehistory.org/events, by phone at 206-842-2773 or in person at the museum (215 Ericksen Ave. NE). The cost is $100 per person.
Hors d’ouevre and beverages will be served at 6:15 p.m.
