Customer Reviews

Frontline By PBS ; Jefferson's Blood

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After viewing African American Lives 2,Frontline By PBS ; Jefferson's Blood came highly recommended to take another in depth look at the racial mixing of blood in America;this time the focus was on proving or disproving the 300 years of rumor involving President Thomas Jefferson and his slave/mistress,Sally Hemings.This 90 minute expose from PBS dates to the late 1990's when "other-than-white" descendants of this coupling sought rights to be buried in the the Jefferson family cemetery at Monticello,Virginia.This naturally sparked an outrage and Time Magazine did a fine expose on the subject.PBS went even further, and DNA sampled all of those who claim ancestry to the Third President and Miss Hemings and examined the results and ramifications.If you loved African-American Lives 2 and have intense interest in DNA and ancestry,"Jefferson's Blood" is an outstanding presentation on the pain and incredulity inflicted upon the families of Tom and Sally's mating,consensual or otherwise.
I had to rent this tape from a store called "Video Americain" which has a location near where I live in D.C. I do not believe that it has as yet had a DVD release.What a shame!
The Films of Charles & Ray Eames, Vol. 3: The World of Franklin & Jefferson is another film that accompanies "Jefferson's Blood."

President Thomas Jefferson,author of the Declaration of Independence and architect of Monticello had many children with his slave,young Sally Hemings,after his wife died.Did you know that Sally Hemings was 3/4's white? Did you know that Sally Hemings was a 1/2 sister to Jefferson's wife? Did you know that upon his death,the Hemings children...Jefferson's own children,were freed and had to make their way as 7/8's white in
19th-Century America?

In 1999,ALL descendants of Thomas Jefferson,whether from all white stock, or from the Jefferson/Hemings matings clashed at Monticello over family-blood burial rights. This was all over the news. JEFFERSON'S BLOOD, from Frontline PBS, examines the DNA,oral and historical evidence that exists to piece together generations of people who are related by blood, but separated by knowledge and choice.This is a very revealing and painful look at the present day offspring of Tom and "Monticellian Sally" and the choices that they have made in choosing to live as "black" or "white" in an America that does not want to recognize them as living proof that our second president actually would have been convicted today for having a relationship with a minor!. What happens when an "all white" person discovers that they have "black blood"...or vice versa? Does it matter? Does it change THEM? It may if they are in America!!! This is a 90 minute look at people coming to grips with the past,and how it affects their present and future.Do what you must to see this.It is rare vhs tape and hard to come by.I have had it transferred to DVD for preservation.

Great companion films would be Sally Hemings: An American Scandal and Jefferson in Paris.

The truth offends and the truth hurts to those who open their eyes to it!

Remember, Hitler KNEW he had Jewish blood and look what happened with him!