Framing a Legend

It's accepted by most scholars that Thomas Jefferson had a lengthy affair with his slave Sally Hemings and fathered at least one of her children. This conclusion is based on a 1998 DNA study published in Nature and on the work of historian Annette Gordon-Reed, assumed by many to be the last word on the subject. This book argues compellingly that the DNA evidence is inconclusive and that there are remarkable flaws in the leading historical scholarship purporting to show such a liaison. The author critically examines well-known books by Gordon-Reed, Fawn Brodie, and Andrew Burstein. Holowchak notes selective use of evidence, ungrounded speculation, tendentious psychologizing, and unpersuasive argumentation, among other defects in their work. He delves into what we know about Jefferson's character by showing that the historical facts do not suggest any romantic interest on Jefferson's part in his female slaves. He also points out that, though DNA analysis indicates the presence of a Y-chromosome from some Jefferson male in the Hemings family line, it is unwarranted to conclude that this must have come from Thomas Jefferson. Finally, he discusses Jefferson's racial attitudes and says that they argue against any liaison with Sally Hemings.