Despite receiving little credit for achievements such as serving as Jefferson's minister to France during the Louisiana Purchase negotiations, and serving simultaneously as James Madison's secretary of state and secretary of war during the War of 1812, James Monroe became one of America's most successful, but least known presidents. For too long Monroe has been lost in the shadow of his two famous neighbors. For years, Monroe was "the pebble in the shoe" of the incurious historian. Come remove the pebble and find out why "you don't know Jefferson and Madison if you don't know Monroe."