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Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy Updated Edition
Contributor(s): Gordon-Reed, Annette (Author)

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ISBN: 0813918332     ISBN-13: 9780813918334
Publisher: University of Virginia Press
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Binding Type: Paperback - See All Available Formats & Editions
Published: March 1998
Qty:

Annotation: In light of DNA evidence supporting a Jefferson-Hemings relationship, Gordon-Reed has added to her acclaimed study a new Preface in which she finds fresh reasons for seeing Thomas Jefferson as a complicated metaphor for the American character.
Additional Information
BISAC Categories:
- History | United States - 19th Century
- Biography & Autobiography | Presidents & Heads Of State
- Social Science | Ethnic Studies - African American Studies
Dewey: B
LCCN: 98035770
Age Level: 18-UP
Grade Level: 13-UP
Physical Information: 0.79" H x 5.83" W x 9.57" L (1.02 lbs) 320 pages
Themes:
- Chronological Period - 1800-1850
- Cultural Region - South Atlantic
- Cultural Region - Southeast U.S.
- Cultural Region - South
- Ethnic Orientation - African American
- Geographic Orientation - Virginia
Features: Price on Product
Review Citations: Univ PR Books for Public Libry 01/01/1999 pg. 80 - Strongly Recommended
Essence 06/01/2000 pg. 74
 
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
Publisher Description:

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.

 
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