Final answer:
Thomas Jefferson exhibited a conflict between his advocacy for human rights and his practice of slaveholding, influenced by the racist views of his time. He owned slaves and did not push for immediate abolition, hoping for gradual emancipation and colonization instead.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thomas Jefferson, a prominent figure of the American Revolution and the author of the Declaration of Independence, faced the paradox of being a slave owner while simultaneously advocating for human rights. This contradiction is apparent in his belief that slavery was a 'regrettable institution,' yet he continued to own slaves and did not advocate for their immediate emancipation. Jefferson's views were shaped by the racism of his era, which influenced his perspectives on black people and justified his practices.
His only published book, Notes on the State of Virginia, articulated his racist assumptions and his fear of racial 'mixture,' despite his own relationship with Sally Hemings, a slave with whom he had multiple children. Ultimately, Jefferson hoped for a gradual emancipation paired with colonization, reflecting his complex and conflicted stance on race and slavery.