"Jefferson's Children."

Discussion in 'Race Relations' started by Moriah, Jun 4, 2016.

  1. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

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    I am currently reading a book called "Jefferson's Children" by Shannon Lanier and Jane Feldman. It details the White and Black decendants of Thomas Jefferson's family. The White ones from his wife, Martha. And the Black ones from his slave mistress, Sally Hemings.
    The forward of the book was written by one of Jefferson's White male decendants. He spoke very eloquently about the need for all Americans to face the truth of our history. The book is made up of short essays about different branches of the family with lots of pictures. This is one of the best history books I have ever read. It puts to rest all the naysayers who didn't believe Jefferson fathered Sally's children. It is a must read for anyone who loves American history.
     
  2. Egalitarianjay02

    Egalitarianjay02 Banned

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  3. SueAnn

    SueAnn Member

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    The DNA testing was conclusive. The red-haired descendants of Sally Hemings are indeed the descendants of Thomas Jefferson.
     
  4. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

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    The White and Black decendants of Thomas Jefferson now get together once a year for a family reunion. A few of the White decendants still don't accept the Black ones, but most of them do. Some of Eston Hemings great great grandchildren didn't know they had Black ancestors! Eston was the youngest son of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson. He lived as White after he was freed from slavery. Makes me wonder how many other Whites may have Black blood and not know it. :confusion:
     
  5. MrNick

    MrNick Banned

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    Jefferson probably did father half black children but I don't see how that even plays a role in modern society....

    What's the point of it? are people, er better yet progressives trying to discredit our founding documents because they're socialists?

    Do I find the subject interesting from a historical perspective? you bet, do I think it has anything to do with our nation, who he was as a founder and framer and does it cast any bad vibes on the founding documents? hell no.
     
  6. MrNick

    MrNick Banned

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    You ever hear of 6 degrees of separation? I'm sure we all have black in us....... I don't believe there is such an idea as "pure white"..... I'm half Sicilian and half Nordic basically, well I have dark skin and my father is 100% Sicilian and he's even darker, why you suppose that is. Well look up the history of Sicily and it's easy to see.... No doubt you will find Arab and African DNA in my blood....
     
  7. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

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    One of the founding documents said "We hold these truths to be self evident, all men are created equal"---Jefferson wrote it. Yet, he knew all men were not being treated equally because he was a slave owner. And the Father of slave children.
     
  8. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

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    I will read up on Sicily when I have time. Very interesting. But don't tell the White nationalist type people that they have Black blood. :smile:
     
  9. arborville

    arborville Well-Known Member

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    It's too bad that we don't all treat each other like family.
     
  10. Libhater

    Libhater Well-Known Member

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    All men were created equal. But that doesn't mean that any of us were necessarily treated equally (including myself as a white man). The two--created equal and treated equal are not mutually exclusive, nor should they be. I can't help but to use the term 'income inequality' as a reminder that not everyone is going to be treated equal. Just how would you expect Jefferson to treat those slaves of his equally? You think he should have picked Sally Jennings as his veep? Didn't he treat his slaves with dignity by giving them shelter (housing) and plentiful food? How does or how could anyone during those times or during the 21st century treat everyone as equals? I'm not equal to anyone and I surely wouldn't want to be. What a dull and mediocre at best world we would live in if we were all equal. Would you want to be as equal as that Mateen fella that just murdered 49 people?
     
  11. Lil Mike

    Lil Mike Well-Known Member

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    I think the DNA testing was conclusive only in that they are descendants of a male Jefferson, not necessarily Thomas Jefferson. His brother, who actually socialized in the slave quarters, is probably a better suspect, but not nearly as fun to speculate about.
     
  12. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

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    1) Thomas Jefferson had more access to Sally than his brother did. She lived in the big house, not the slave quarters.
    2) The first time she got pregnant she was living in Paris with Jefferson, his brother was nowhere around.
    3) Sally went to put flowers on Jefferson's grave for many years after he died. On Jefferson's grave---NOT HIS BROTHER'S!

    I think it is fair to say Thomas Jefferson had a taste for chocolate. And the children to prove it.:smile:
     
  13. Lil Mike

    Lil Mike Well-Known Member

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    A. I thought you had me on ignore?

    B. Technically, since Sally as a slave did not have agency to consent, she was raped. So I'm unclear why that's applauded.

    C. I was only talking about the DNA evidence. That isn't conclusive that it's Thomas Jefferson, only that it was a male Jefferson.
     
  14. Object227

    Object227 Well-Known Member

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    Yes. What's your point?
     
  15. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

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    Thomas Jefferson was a hypocrite. He didn't acknowledge his Black children. And he didn't work hard enough to end slavery. That's all.
     
  16. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

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    1) I only took you off of ignore momentarily.
    2) Yes, actually she was raped. And I am not applauding anything, I am just stating a fact. I think she grew to love Jefferson as the years went by---if you can call it love.
    3)I am willing to beleive those were Jefferson's children; there is lots of evidence to prove it. And he wasn't the only slave master who fathered children with his slave. I hear it was fairly common. I wonder how those White mistresses felt looking around the plantations at all those little 1/2 White slave kids who were the spitting image of their husbands.
     
  17. Lil Mike

    Lil Mike Well-Known Member

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    It may have in fact been an actual love affair, but that's not how we would describe it today.


    And slave mistresses must have been fairly common. The average African American has about 20 % European DNA. That's a lot and shows a high degree of interracial shenanigans.
     

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