It is indeed a paradox that Thomas Jefferson, who is known for his contributions to the Enlightenment and his role in drafting the Declaration of Independence, which affirmed the natural rights of all people, owned over 600 slaves during his lifetime.
Jefferson was a product of his time and place, and his views on slavery were shaped by the cultural and economic context in which he lived. Like many of his contemporaries, he believed that African Americans were biologically inferior to whites and that they were naturally suited to labor in agriculture. He also believed that slavery was a necessary evil that was necessary for the economic success of the new nation, and that it would eventually die out.
It is important to recognize that the ideas and values of the Enlightenment, which celebrated the inherent worth and dignity of all individuals, were not universally embraced or consistently applied in the 18th century. Many Enlightenment thinkers, including Jefferson, held views that were deeply flawed and unjust, and their actions did not always reflect the ideals that they espoused.
It is also important to recognize that slavery was deeply embedded in the economic and social fabric of the United States, and that it was supported and sustained by laws, institutions, and cultural norms. While Jefferson and other Enlightenment thinkers may have believed in the principles of natural rights and human equality, they also lived in a society in which slavery was deeply entrenched and widely accepted. The contradiction between their beliefs and their actions reflects the complex and often deeply flawed nature of human history.