---
title: 6 Little-Known Facts About a Founding Father
date: 2025-02-20T05:30:00-05:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/6-little-known-facts-about-a-founding-father"
section: Articles
---
# 6 Little-Known Facts About a Founding Father

*February 20, 2025* — by [Maggie Haslam](/author/maggie-haslam)


> UMD Scholar in New Docuseries Shares ‘These Truths’ on Thomas Jefferson

*Adobe Stock 553816396 Editorial Use Only 1920x1080 — Monticello’s reflection captures Thomas Jefferson’s enduring legacy as both a founder and an influential American architect. Susan Kern (below), associate professor and director of UMD's Historic Preservation Program, once led the archeology department at Monticello, and is leading expert on the early life of our third president (bottom image).*

Students hurrying past McKeldin Library on route to statistics class may never steal a glimpse of the quote etched into its stony facade, “The field of knowledge is the common property of mankind.”


*Susan Kern headshot*


*Thomas Jefferson — (Adobe Stock)*




**Topics:** [Research](https://today.umd.edu/tags/research)


**Tags:** [Historic Preservation](https://today.umd.edu/topic/historic-preservation), [History](https://today.umd.edu/topic/history), [Research](https://today.umd.edu/topic/research)


**Units:** [School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation](https://today.umd.edu/topic/school-architecture-planning-and-preservation)