He seems like the type that would be a Free Speech Atheist troll today
-
-
Replying to @BootlegGirl @loudpenitent
There's the story of Benjamin Banneker, a celebrated Black polymath who helped Pierre L'enfant design Washington DC
2 replies 2 retweets 6 likes -
Self-taught at all kinds of stuff, built a clock by himself in his childhood (for those looking for modern parallels)
1 reply 2 retweets 3 likes -
The story goes L'enfant got fired from the DC project in favor of Maj. Ellicott so he tore up the original plans in a huff
1 reply 2 retweets 1 like -
And Banneker was the one who helped Ellicott reconstruct them based on his memory of the originals
1 reply 2 retweets 2 likes -
Anyway when he was in what is now DC to work on the plans Jefferson got super excited and invited him to come to Monticello
1 reply 2 retweets 1 like -
Said he wanted to meet the world's smartest Black man and talk about the future of race and so forth
1 reply 2 retweets 2 likes -
Banneker sent back a blistering angry letter saying he wasn't going to discuss anything until Jefferson explained his hypocrisy
1 reply 2 retweets 3 likes -
And how a man could write the immortal words "all men are created equal" but hold men in bondage
1 reply 2 retweets 2 likes -
Jefferson never replied to that letter. Months later he wrote to someone else "I'm sorry I never got a chance to meet Banneker"
1 reply 2 retweets 3 likes
"But you know what I think his intelligence is overrated. Everyone wants there to be a great Negro scholar but he seems mediocre to me"
-
-
Replying to @arthur_affect @loudpenitent
That sounds so much like something one of those MSNBC hosts would say about DeRay or someone contemporary now
1 reply 0 retweets 1 like -
Replying to @BootlegGirl @loudpenitent
Yuuup. He said something similar about Phyllis Wheatley
2 replies 1 retweet 2 likes - Show replies
New conversation -
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.