April is a celebratory month for many reasons, including the fact that it's the time when we remember Thomas Jefferson’s birthday. Though a controversial figure in modern times, there's no denying that as one of our founding fathers, Jefferson had a tremendous impact on the United States of America that has stood the test of time. He was able to help write the U.S. Constitution, foster the Louisiana Purchase, bolster religious freedom, and more. The way our nation is designed and operates would be vastly different and possibly not even recognizable if not for the man who would become the third President of the United States. Related: Was Thomas Jefferson in the Military?

When Is Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday?

Thomas Jefferson’s birthday was April 13, 1743. This date would not only birth one of the earliest leaders of our country but also leadership and political ideals that continue to be used in modern politics. Thomas Jefferson's date of birth would help alter the course of history and the formation of our country. Although not celebrated nationwide in the same way that George Washington is, there are still regional celebrations. For a while, this was primarily due to efforts in Virginia, a state where he lived and served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates before becoming President. But as time moves on, legacies are revisited, and not always for the better. There have been calls to reject such celebrations for Jefferson, while still admittedly honoring him, because of his past as a slave owner. An odd juxtaposition as someone who was “against slavery” yet was also known to have had more slaves than any U.S. President, with more than 600 throughout his lifetime.

Charlottesville, Virginia Celebrates Liberation and Freedom Day Instead

In Charlottesville, Thomas Jefferson's birthday celebration is a thing of the past now, as the city once home to the third President of the United States is no longer considering his birthday as an official holiday. Suggested Read: Declaration of Independence Grievances That Led to the Birth of a Nation Instead, C'ville is going to mark Liberation and Freedom Day as an official holiday every March 3rd. The move is designed to remember the first time 14,000 enslaved Virginia residents were emancipated. Liberation and Freedom Day honors the time when Union troops came to the city. The Charlottesville City Council declared the holiday official in June 2019, though its history goes back to 2017. What you’ll find if you go is actually a weeklong celebration with a wide range of events. “It’s very hard to expect us to celebrate an individual who said black people didn’t have the ability to emote, that we smelled very vile, an individual who raped Sally Hemings and other slaves and was just a treacherous slave owner. It’s difficult to celebrate his birthday and at the same time celebrate the day in which enslaved Africans were set free. It doesn’t go hand in hand with the city and the representation of what we’re trying to do to move forward,” said former City Councilor Wes Bellamy in an interview with CNN. This isn’t to say that there are no celebrations, but the official designation by the city itself has gone away. Private entities, not only in Virginia, have been known to celebrate Jefferson’s date of birth. Controversial as it may be, again, his impact can still be found and recognized throughout our nation, without losing sight of his history as a slave owner.

Is Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday a Federal Holiday?

No, Thomas Jefferson's birthday isn’t a federal holiday. There are areas in Virginia that celebrate his birthday, but as we can see, even these sentiments have changed in recent times. It’s unlikely that Jefferson’s birthday will become a federal holiday considering other days such as Presidents’ Day already exist. Nevertheless, the third U.S. President’s impact is still recognized in a number of ways even today. Read Next: 57 Fun Facts About Presidents That You Never Knew