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Oct 22, 2017Jgrooms rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
This book is not about DNA. It is about historiography and its relation to the Jefferson- Hemings controversy. The author’s thesis is that historian’s discounted black narratives and elevated white one’s. The case is not only compelling it is obvious. For anyone to argue otherwise I suggest one read Dumas Malone’s Appendices on the subject. Written in 1970 it is an appalling ‘analysis’ of the evidence clouded in so much racial stereotyping to call to question Malone’s standing for anything he had to say re TJ. We can then jump to our current expert in TJ, J Ellis, and wonder in pre DNA era how he could go along w DM’s weak conclusion. One did not need the science of DNA to accept the possibility of a Jefferson/Hemings relationship, one only needed an honest assessment of the historical record. The whole affair is sordid, not in that there was an interracial relationship, but for what it says about the relationship between historian, the subject, and the truth. If one finds this a strong indictment, ask yourself how Malone could ignore the fact that a way to establish plausible paternity would be to ask if Jefferson and Hemings were together within range of conception and dates of birth. In the case of each child they were. Were the Carr men with Sally? Certainly not in Paris when the first child was conceived. What were the names of Hemings children? Opps they all appear in the Jefferson genealogy. Malone knew these facts. And to the scoence deniers, how did the Carr myth work out? And then we know that Malone lied. He claims that TJ's treatment of the Hemings children was in line with his treatment of others. It was not, and he knew this. And if Ellis was worth his salt as a historian, he certainly does as well. For E the Carr myth was too big to go against and risk his reputation by sullying the great man of marble. As for the science deniers, how did the Carr myth workout? As for the “primarary documents” those would be TJ Farm book, and the Hemmings & Issac Jefferson statements. Those and DNA EVIDENCE are clear. TJ & SH had a 30 plus year relationship in which 6 children were concieved.