Sally Hemings is possibly one of the most famous (and controversial) African-American women of the 17 and 1800's because of her alleged (and most recently more concrete) relationship with Thomas Jefferson. There are no actual pictures of Sally Hemings, so I have posted a picture from the cover of Barbara Chase-Riboud's book "Sally Hemings" (one of my favorite books, actually) and a picture of an actress who played Sally Hemings.
Some Interesting Facts
* Hemings is believed to have been the half-sister of Martha Jefferson, Thomas' wife.
* She spent some time in Paris, France as a servant to Jefferson's youngest daughter Polly.
* Hemings had six (living) children all of whom were supposedly fathered by Thomas Jefferson.
* She is believed to have been a "quadroon" an African-American who is three-quarters white.
* Eston Hemings, one of Sally's children, was the first child to be almost positively identified as Thomas Jefferson's child.
* In Jefferson's will he freed all of Hemings' children, but not Sally herself.
Some Quotes on Sally Hemings
Seeing as there are no existing quotes from Hemings herself, I have dug up a few about her.
- "His conduct was toward her was predatory and exploitative.... When Thomas Jefferson took Sally Hemings to his bed, he made her his victim." - Christian Science Monitor (What do you think? Maybe, because I am a romantic I believe, they were in love with each other. I know that white owners often forced themselves on black women, because of the power trip, but I want to believe that sometimes it was love and not just rape.)
- "seems fond of the child and appears good naturd." - Abigail Adams (She is speaking of Sally's attitude towards Jefferson's daughter Polly while they were in Paris)
- "mighty near white. . . very handsome, long straight hair down her back." Isaac Jefferson (another slave of Thomas Jefferson's)
- "light colored and decidedly good looking." Thomas Jefferson Randolph (as told to Henry S. Randall)
- "Her name is Sally." James Callender
Ken Burns' film about Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings
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