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Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy

Annette Gordon-Reed

3.96 · Rating details · 403 ratings · 53 reviews

When Annette Gordon-Reed's groundbreaking study was first published, rumors of Thomas Jefferson's sexual involvement with his slave Sally Hemings had circulated for two centuries. Among all aspects of Jefferson's renowned life, it was perhaps the most hotly contested topic. The publication of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings intensified this debate by identifying glaring When Annette Gordon-Reed's groundbreaking study was first published, rumors of Thomas Jefferson's sexual involvement with his slave Sally Hemings had circulated for two centuries. Among all aspects of Jefferson's renowned life, it was perhaps the most hotly contested topic. The publication of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings intensified this debate by identifying glaring inconsistencies in many noted scholars' evaluations of the existing evidence. In this study, Gordon-Reed assembles a fascinating and convincing argument: not that the alleged thirty-eight-year liaison necessarily took place but rather that the evidence for its taking place has been denied a fair hearing.

Friends of Jefferson sought to debunk the Hemings story as early as 1800, and most subsequent historians and biographers followed suit, finding the affair unthinkable based upon their view of Jefferson's life, character, and beliefs. Gordon-Reed responds to these critics by pointing out numerous errors and prejudices in their writings, ranging from inaccurate citations, to impossible time lines, to virtual exclusions of evidence--especially evidence concerning the Hemings family. She demonstrates how these scholars may have been misguided by their own biases and may even have tailored evidence to serve and preserve their opinions of Jefferson. This updated edition of the book also includes an afterword in which the author comments on the DNA study that provided further evidence of a Jefferson and Hemings liaison.00

Possessing both a layperson's unfettered curiosity and a lawyer's logical mind, Annette Gordon-Reed writes with a style and compassion that are irresistible. Each chapter revolves around a key figure in the Hemings drama, and the resulting portraits are engrossing and very personal. Gordon-Reed also brings a keen intuitive sense of the psychological complexities of human relationships--relationships that, in the real world, often develop regardless of status or race. The most compelling element of all, however, is her extensive and careful research, which often allows the evidence to speak for itself. Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy is the definitive look at a centuries-old question that should fascinate general readers and historians alike. ...more

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Paperback, 320 pages

Published March 29th 1998 by University of Virginia Press (first published 1997)

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Oct 13, 2019 Sara rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A masterful book. Since this was written in 1997, DNA testing has confirmed that Sally Hemings was NOT the mistress of any of the men in the Carr family. And the evidence available, now that it has been examined fairly and in detail by Annette Gordon-Reed, makes clear that she was very likely the loved mistress of Thomas Jefferson.

I'm glad I went to the appendices to read the memoirs of Madison Hemings, Sally's son, born in 1805 and freed by the terms of Jefferson's will in 1826. There are also A masterful book. Since this was written in 1997, DNA testing has confirmed that Sally Hemings was NOT the mistress of any of the men in the Carr family. And the evidence available, now that it has been examined fairly and in detail by Annette Gordon-Reed, makes clear that she was very likely the loved mistress of Thomas Jefferson.

I'm glad I went to the appendices to read the memoirs of Madison Hemings, Sally's son, born in 1805 and freed by the terms of Jefferson's will in 1826. There are also the memoirs of Isaac Jefferson, another house slave at Monticello, written down in 1842 by the historian Charles Campbell, and the statement of Israel Jefferson, also a house slave, born in 1800 and thus a contemporary of Madison Hemings, made to the Pike County (Ohio) Republican. Reading these testimonies and hearing the voices of the witnesses goes a long way to enlivening Gordon-Reed's discussion of the available facts.

I find it comprehensible that Jefferson specialists have bent over backward to discredit and avoid the implications of the evidence for this situation, since I grew up about an hour and a half from Charlottesville in the 1950s. As a child I visited Monticello several times and remember the official story of those days - we never even realized that Jefferson kept slaves! Some of us would have been horrified. Jefferson was presented as a scientist, interested in everything new and experimental as well as in farming. As a human being, you got little or no idea of what he was like, except that he was very intelligent and loved France and all things French. That did impress me.

Gordon-Reed gives full credit to Fawn Brodie for "breaking the story," so to speak, in such a way that it couldn't be ignored - and yet it was ignored, and she was vilified, because the South would much prefer to guard myths about its heroes. Especially in Virginia, miscegenation was swept securely under the rug. Yet the facts speak clearly. Almost as distressing as the vilification of Sally Hemings (who must have been an extraordinary woman in intellect and self-control as well as beauty, and who was related by blood to Jefferson's first wife, who went with his youngest daughter to France and by all accounts was well received there) is the vilification of the witnesses to the real situation and the omission of the facts in most of the historical accounts. Dumas Malone alone struggled to reconcile the conflict, but he ended by just omitting most of it. I've tried to read his books and failed. It's much too one-sided an approach for me. Gordon-Reed tries to understand all points of view, and she respects him greatly as an historian but makes totally clear how short he fell on exploring this issue.

There are lots of videos available on YouTube now, one of a long interview with Gordon-Reed which is great to watch. If I ever need a lawyer, I'd go to her. She is unstoppable and her logic and patience in unraveling evidence is without peer. I'm now interested to read more about the Hemings family - she has more books - since they were by all accounts worthy descendants of Jefferson and extremely interesting in their own right. ...more

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May 06, 2011 Darlene rated it liked it

This book was originally written before DNA testing were completed which ultimately showed that Sally Heming's children were indeed Jefferson children. It must be emphasized that although tests confirm that Sally Hemings did indeed have children which were a match to Jefferson DNA, it is not necessarily so that Heming's children were the offspring of THOMAS Jefferson. This book, although repetitious and sometimes dry, was very interesting. Dr. Gordon Reed is an attorney and therefore wrote the ...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Trelesa rated it liked it · review of another edition

As stated in the preface, the author's goal is clearly to "present and analyze...the evidence that exists to support the story" (of a Jefferson-Hemings liaison). The author's other agenda, as stated in the conclusion, was also clear: " Blacks of today can reward those who suffered and endured for our benefit only through our present and future acts." "It means that we should let no negative charge, no offensive theory or supposition, no unsubstantiated claim about the nature of those who were ...more

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Dec 31, 2013 Omar rated it really liked it

Shelves: a-strange-brand-of-feminism, elitism, gender-and-sex, history, making-connections, race-and-ethnicity, americana

A solid book. I particularly liked the textual analysis of previous historians' work (or lack thereof) on this topic.
This is not the book to read if you want a strong attempt to develop a picture of Sally Hemings as a person (it provides a better view of Jefferson, in that sense); also, far from a completely conclusive 'proof' of Jefferson fathering Hemings' children; but a great introduction to the flaws in the traditional scholarship on this topic (in that it's not been scholarly at all) and a ...more

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Apr 15, 2016 Raven rated it it was amazing

An excellent lesson to scholars on how to apply meticulous academic rigor to an accretion of the evidence. Somewhat metatextual commentary, this is a history of how American culture has reacted to the idea that Jefferson had a lengthy relationship with Hemings and fathered her children. Gordon-Reed gives thoughtful commentary in the wake of lots of freaked-out accusatory handwaving and political points-scoring, while underscoring the emotional repercussions of history's handling of the question ...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Mark rated it it was amazing

A thoughtful pre-DNA test treatment of the Jefferson-Hemings relationship. While it reads like a lawyer's brief at times (unsurprisingly since the author is a lawyer), it would be an excellent book to use for teaching historical methodology to undergraduate history majors.

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Sep 05, 2013 Emma rated it really liked it

Shelves: nonfiction

I am a big fan of this book. It's certainly not your typical piece of historical writing--you can hear the lawyer coming through--but I wish more people took the care that she did to weigh the value of the evidence. Exquisitely reasoned.

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Aug 25, 2017 Gail Holman rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Well researched and eloquently stated. Dense argument that TOTALLY makes her case. If it's a topic that interests you, it's a must read.

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Dec 06, 2009 Heather rated it really liked it

Shelves: nonfiction

Incredibly neutral and factual presentation. I felt like I was on a jury.

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Dec 17, 2016 Guyler Winter rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Written by a lawyer writing in a style you would expect from an investigative legal, logical mind.

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Jun 19, 2018 Bill reilly rated it liked it

The wonders of modern science in the form of DNA have proven the theory of this book into a reality. Unfortunately, the same climate change science deniers are still around. Gordon-Reed’s introduction was written two years after the original publishing date of the book. Blood tests of descendents of Thomas Jefferson proved a familial connection with the founding father. T.J. was in Paris in 1789 when Sally Hemings, a slave girl, arrived with her brother James. The first piece of the puzzle was The wonders of modern science in the form of DNA have proven the theory of this book into a reality. Unfortunately, the same climate change science deniers are still around. Gordon-Reed’s introduction was written two years after the original publishing date of the book. Blood tests of descendents of Thomas Jefferson proved a familial connection with the founding father. T.J. was in Paris in 1789 when Sally Hemings, a slave girl, arrived with her brother James. The first piece of the puzzle was provided by Madison Hemings in 1873. An Ohio newspaper ran a story in which Madison claimed to be Jefferson’s son. Thomas’s supporters called it lies by enemies. Today it might be termed “fake news” by some. Madison was told by his mother that after two years in France with TJ, she came back to America pregnant with his child. She was 15 or 16, and he was 46. These days, it is called statutory rape. I am surprised that Reed, an attorney, does not point this out. Sally’s children were promised their freedom at age 21; while Jefferson’s other slaves were held in servitude for the rest of their lives. TJ was deep in debt and kept his slaves as valuable property. James Callender was the first journalist to spread the rumors of Jefferson’s relationship with Hemings. Like any good lawyer, Reed argues with repetition the fact that all four of their offspring were freed at the age of 21. Fawn Brodie is used as a source for a possible fifth child, a son named Tom who was raised by the Woodson family. Tom remains an unsolved mystery. Reed played detective to shoot down easily proven time lines regarding conceptions and births. Jefferson’s detailed journals proved that he was at Monticello the six times Hemings conceived over the course of fifteen years. TJ was at home nine months prior to the birth of each child. Even when presented with this evidence, detractor’s still insist that the president’s nephews, the Carr brothers, were the baby daddy’s. Bull****. The line of power hungry, entitled, alpha-males continues, right on through JFK, LBJ, Bill Clinton, and D.J. Trump. Some things never change. Sally never conceived at any of the times that Tommy was away as secretary of state, on through his presidency. He was absent for as long as six months, and, miraculously, Hemings was never once impregnated during T.J.’s road trips. Gordon-Reed, as a black woman, has an obvious horse in this race. She points out that most historians have denigrated Madison Hemings as a liar; only an ex-slave who was not to be believed, while the “legitimate” white Jefferson offspring had no reason to revise history. Miscegenation was illegal in Virginia until the 1960’s (ask Clarence Thomas), a pretty good reason to whitewash Thomas Jefferson. Even so, Reed remains in awe of the author of the Declaration of Independence. Reed further examines the beginning of the relationship in France when Sally was 14. Fawn Brodie speculated that the couple fell in love during that 2 year period, while historian Gary Wills called Sally “a healthy and obliging prostitute.” Ouch, just another black “ho”, right Gary? Reed returns once again to the timeline analysis and shows a precise correlation between T.J.’s presence at Monticello and Sally’s child bearing nine months late. This is the author-lawyer’s strongest argument. Hemings and her children were the only slaves released from Jefferson’s estate. Sally died nine years after her lover. Her status as a footnote of American history changed radically with DNA tests of the 20th century. Reed reinforces her strongest evidence with the diary of John Hartwell Cocke, a cofounder of the University of Virginia with Jefferson. He wrote in it of T.J.’s “slave mistress” in the 1850’s. All three sons of the happy couple played the violin, and the boys were said to have an uncanny resemblance to their slave master. With apologies to Colin Powell, this is a slam dunk. Although an important book, the author is more a lawyer than she is a writer. It reads like a trial transcript, with redundant details. In the hands of a true storyteller; John Grisham, for instance, it could have been much better. ...more

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Sep 26, 2018 MadreY7 rated it it was amazing

In this work Gordon-Reed, a Harvard Educated Lawyer, is looking at each piece of evidence about the paternity of Sally Hemming’s children and determining WHY previous scholars either accepted it as true or false. For example, why is the oral history of slaves less believable then the oral history of whites [especially when those white relatives have a strong reason to lie, which DNA testing has subsequently shown they did.] Excellent research and critique of the implicit assumptions and biases, In this work Gordon-Reed, a Harvard Educated Lawyer, is looking at each piece of evidence about the paternity of Sally Hemming’s children and determining WHY previous scholars either accepted it as true or false. For example, why is the oral history of slaves less believable then the oral history of whites [especially when those white relatives have a strong reason to lie, which DNA testing has subsequently shown they did.] Excellent research and critique of the implicit assumptions and biases, prejudices and glaring -even deliberate - blind spots of prior historians of the Jefferson story. Her work is well-structured, analytical and thorough. Her arguments are sensible and convincing written in clear prose and sharp reasoning, making this an extremely compelling and thought provoking book.

Note, it was written in 1997 before any DNA testing at which point “everyone” (IE white historians) agreed that one of the Carr brothers was the father. Now that DNA testing has proved a relation to the Jefferson line, some “scholars” are bending over backwards now saying that it was Jefferson brother, who was never suggested in the past 200 years.

From The Conclusion:
"I have trid to approach the writing of scholars and commentators on the subject of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings as through their considerations represent serious attempts to get at the truth of the story ... And, to measure their commitment to ferreting out the truth, how did they respond to information that tended to favor the side to which they may have been personally opposed? ...
The failure to look more closely into the identities of the parties involved, the too ready acceptance and the active promotion of the Carr brothers' story, the reliance upon stereotypes in the place of investigation and analysis, all indicate that most Jefferson Scholars decided from the outset that this story was not true and that if they had anything to do with it, no one would come to think otherwise. In the most fundamental sense, the enterprise of the defense has had little to do with expand people's knowledge of Thomas Jefferson or the other participants int he story. The goal has been quite the opposite: to restrict knowledge as a way of controlling the allowable discourse on this subject. ...more

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Feb 28, 2018 Bob Emmett rated it liked it

This is a hard book to review. I was looking for a narrative history of the relationship of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, his slave who now we know genetically bore him several children. When this book was published in 1997 historians had been and were still arguing whether Jefferson was the father of Sally's children. Annette Gordon-Reed is first a lawyer and the book, rather than the narrative I expected, was a legalistic analysis of the treatments of the alleged relationship through ...more

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Sep 07, 2018 Enid G. Ballantyne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A lawyer's Brief

Ms. Gordon-Reed has laid out a detailed exposition of the pros and cons about Jefferson's being the father big Sally Heming's children. I would add one more pro: it was the custom! All the white off-spring seen in slave country shows this to be true. Read the 1937 WPA interviews with former slaves who readily state their parentage. It is rank hypocrisy to deny the existence of race mixing.

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Jul 10, 2017 David rated it liked it

Interesting analysis, though wish it had spent more time with the primary sources (which were a great addition in the appendix) vs contesting secondary ones. The book predates DNA testing which has shown a link between Jefferson and African American descendants, but I wonder-- given the rumors at the time that Heming's children may have been fathered by Thomas' nephew-- whether DNA can tell the difference and settle that particular dispute.

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Jan 10, 2018 Tim rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

A somewhat different approach to examining historical evidence, the author uses her lawyer background to consider and for the most part, refute the rebuttals of historians who have argued against a Jefferson-Hemmings relationship. This is a good book on the topic. Information in the Founding Brothers and John Adams’ biography substantiates several of her observations and indicates that she is knowledgeable about Jefferson.

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May 25, 2019 Beth Angeli rated it liked it

I agree with the previous reviews stated. I think I would have enjoyed this more had I not read another book on the same subject. That had evidence that Sally’s children where indeed Thomas Jefferson’s.

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Aug 26, 2018 Savannah rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-nonfiction, grad-school

This book was written by a legal historian and it shows. Not bad, I like the topic. As far as historical books go it could have been worse.

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Jun 03, 2017 Rinku rated it liked it

This was a pretty dry read but learned a lot.

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Jun 16, 2019 Roberta rated it it was amazing

Fascinating.

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Nov 07, 2012 Cindy rated it really liked it

I first read this in grad school and, recently, decided to reread it. It may be common knowledge now that SH's children were in some way related to the Jefferson clan but I remember in grad school being shocked by this revelation, or the possibility of it. I also remember that a question asked wasn't necessarily did it exist but rather could a romantic relationship ever exist between one in power and one enslaved.

In any event, like I said, I wanted to revisit it to garner more background ...more

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Apr 14, 2016 judy rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, history

Although, after recovering from the initial shock years ago, I have believed that Sally Hemings was Jefferson's long time mistress and mother of 4 surviving children. As a Jefferson fangirl, I decided to read this book because it was written by a well-respected, female, African-American law professor. Wise decision. Gordon-Read took the arguments of major historians--pro and con--and applied her own logic and research to them. Is anyone surprised that the noted (white male and dead) historians ...more

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Apr 08, 2015 Linda rated it liked it

I find it interesting that I cannot find the proper title of the book on Goodreads. The book I read by Author Annette Gordon-Reed is titled, The Hemmings of Monticello. When I search for that book on this site, I get some funky collection of articles on Wiki-pedia. I have no idea what's going on there.

This book differs from others on the subject perhaps from the perspective of the author. She is writing and investigating a much rehashed topic from the inside out. Being a woman of color, she ...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Doug rated it did not like it

Shelves: presidents, history

I agree with Professor Gordon-Reed on one point; professional historians have made a mess of things. But she has done no better. Believers will be reinforced. Skeptics will feel secure. Those approaching with an open mind will be unable to decide.

Several attempts are made to prove a negative (e.g. some evidence doesn't exist perhaps because the Jeffersons destroyed it) There are factual misdirections (e.g. Edmund Bacon had close ties by 1801, not starting in 1806.) And some of the evidence is ...more

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Jan 12, 2015 John added it

My second time reading it. I thought it was excellent and makes a case not so much on the issue of Jefferson/Hemings (of which I am a believer in a long relationship with children), but more so on the how historians and others unfairly and willfully neglected, ignored, or did not believe the narratives of former slaves; rather, it was the family history of the Jeffersons, who were slaveholders, that seemed to be more credible and believable. It was time for someone to set the record straight on ...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Karla rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2013

This book was a solid medium. This author was clearly not a historian, you can see her legal background in her writing style. She did present material and make a case for her perception, but the majority of the book was spent doing a critical analysis of what historians had said about Jefferson & Hemings. No original research here, mostly analysis of previous research. It had wonderful appendices and primary sources. She was rather repetitive and I would have organized the material more ...more

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Jan 24, 2010 Lam rated it liked it

I started reading this book after I finished The Hemingses of Monticello, thinking I might learn even more about the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and the enslaved Sally Hemings. But in fact, this book was written long before the other one. It is a study of how, up until the time this book was written, most white historians accepted as gospel truth anything Thomas Jefferson's white descendants and other white people said about him and ignored or denigrated anything that his children by ...more

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Sep 25, 2013 Rebecca Dunbar rated it it was amazing

An excellent book, looking at the oral testimonies of Madison Hemings and Thomas Jefferson's white relations, rather than providing an imbalanced account from either side, which had hitherto been the case.

Since its release, DNA evidence proved that Thomas Jefferson had fathered at least one of Sally Hemming's children, and scholars are now in agreement that their relationship spanned a 38-year period.

Here, pre-DNA tests, Gordon-Reed seeks to redraw the balance in America's 'white' and 'black' ...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Alessandra rated it liked it

An incisive critique of the Jefferson historiography concerning the alleged 38-year affair between Jefferson and Sally Hemings, a slave at Monticello. Gordon-Reed builds her case against the white-supremacist-laden arguments of the Jefferson apologist encampment. An expert model for historians on how to address evidence (source material). The organization made for a convincing argument, but a lackluster story.

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Aug 05, 2015 Michael Kocher rated it really liked it

It's a very important book and it takes an interesting approach in it's dissection of the Jefferson/Hemmings liaison. Gordon-Reed tries to dissect the study of history as much as she tries to prove what really happened at Monticello. It makes an excellent point on how women, african americans, and the poor and disadvantaged are not represented fairly in the study of American History. It's far too muddled though and some chapters are nothing but rambling rants.

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About Annette Gordon-Reed

Annette Gordon-Reed

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Annette Gordon-Reed is a professor of law at New York Law School and a professor of history at Rutgers University. She is the author of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy. She lives in New York City."