Discussion: The Hemingses of Monticello

The Hemingses of Monticello

Even though most people are preoccupied with the relationship between Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson, The Hemingses of Monticello doesn’t solely focus on those two main characters. One of the best aspects of this book is the attention to the other members of the Hemings family who are usually overlooked by historians and readers. Gordon-Reed spends a great deal of time documenting the lives of Robert and James, Sally’s older brothers. I was fascinated to read about the lives of these two men, considering the vast difference in their lives compared to the lives of their contemporaries. 

Gordon-Reed is able to piece together an intimate relationship between Hemings and Jefferson from scant evidence. Of course Thomas Jefferson wasn’t explicit in his personal writing about Sally Hemings; but Gordon-Reed uses vague diary or ledger entries as substantiating proof of an intimate relationship between the two. Short of diary entries from Sally Hemings herself, Gordon-Reed brings Sally Hemings to life, and not just with her relationship with Thomas Jefferson. 

I think the debate over the Jefferson-Hemings relationship has captured American imaginations because of who Jefferson was as a Founding Father. Most people look at Jefferson as an American hero, and to have DNA proof that he carried on a relationship with one of his slaves makes him more interesting. How could the man who wrote those famous lines in the Declaration of Independence attempt to have a secret family with one of his slaves? This contradiction is fascinating alone, not to mention, Sally Hemings was the half-sister to Jefferson’s deceased wife. Now that DNA technology can prove without a doubt that Jefferson was the father of Hemings’ children, historians can prove the proof, just as Gordon-Reed has done by reconstructing the lives of the Hemings family in relation to Jefferson. 

In retelling the lives of the Hemings family and Jefferson, Gordon-Reed gives a clear picture of race relations in Virginia during the late 1800s, but also in France during this same time period. We may never know why Sally Hemings decided to sail back to Virginia with Jefferson, but Gordon-Reed is able to deconstruct much of the mystery. I thought many of the best parts of this book were about the time the main characters spent in France.