Customer Reviews

Jefferson's Children: The Story of One American Family

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this book for my 12 year old nephew who wanted to understand "passing."

He had heard that people "passed into the white world" and wanted to understand this concept as he comes from a mixed race background where his Grandmother scandalised many English people when she married a Bengali in a time when Black people were still being murdered for just whistling at a white girl in the USA.

So I have got him this book which talks candidly and in a language that a twelve year old will understand about "Jefferson's Children", both legitimate and illegitimate."

All of whom walked many paths, some down the road to embracing their Anglo-African roots, others to never know their slave origins as they slipped away into the embrace of their "white roots", and just as many who would never doubt their racial purity because they were descended from the two legitimate daughters of Thomas Jefferson.

This is an excellent book for teens and adults alike; it looks at the proud descendents from this illustrious lineage as well as those who see such a bloodline as curse rather than a blessing.

I liked the fact that the book wasn't over syrupy, it was down to earth yet proud with a healthy dose of cynicism from some people both Black and White, I liked that and I think my nephew will like that too.

Of course there are many people, who will continue to deny that Sally Hemmings and Thomas Jefferson ever had a relationship, and this is reflected in the book.

I find this curious as DNA has proven that the children of Sally Hemmings were Thomas Jefferson's offspring, and their excuses such as "Thomas loved his wife Martha too much to take up with a slave," made me smile. Sally Hemmings was his wife's half sister, and probably looked a lot like her, I leave the rest to your imagination plus the fact only Sally and her children were freed upon Thomas Jefferson's death, and also the fact that
Sally followed Thomas Jefferson back to the USA when she could have stayed in Paris a free woman of colour.

All of this is expressed in this wonderful book that should be on the shelf of every school in the USA.

I just wish we had books like this in England because we too have a secret history like the Hemmings and Jefferson relationship, born from Britain's colonisation of Africa, India and the Caribbean, we too have a legacy that needs to be told and perhaps one day it will be.

This story is catalogued as a book for teens and young adults,
but I found it great reading for an older audience. It was
written as a result of research done by twenty-year-old Shannon
Lanier, a direct descendant of Thomas Jefferson and his slave
Sally Hemings. With slavery as the backdrop, this book is an
attempt to combine the history of one American family. Amidst
the controversy surrounding the biography of Thomas Jefferson
and his offspring, Shannon shares his family's story.

Many descendants of Martha Jefferson and several generations of
historians have resisted the claims of kinship to Jefferson by
Hemings' offspring, and they feel these claims will tarnish his
legacy. But the information collected by Shannon is not a myth,
and it is his belief that he has found the final piece of puzzle
to complete the search for the the Hemings' family tree. Shannon
never intended to bring shame to Jefferson's legacy, but he is
aware that his research will show an unveiled look at a man many
feel is beyond reproach.

The story is told with a collection of historical essays,
interviews and family photographs, and is wonderfully illustrated
by Jane Feldman. This is not the Thomas Jefferson we studied in
school and there is the strong possibility that this particular
information may never appear in history books. Since there are no
written records of the slaves' birth, and of the period after
slavery was abolished, to substantiate Shannon's claims. The
history during these periods was memorized and told by oral
historians. But in 1998 DNA tests produced evidence that there
is a link between the Jefferson and Hemings families.

If nothing else, this story should produce sensitive discussions
on how we define our country based on the color of our skin. The
introduction by Lucian K. Truscott IV, a fifth generation great-
grandson of Jefferson through their daughter Martha
Jefferson-Randolph, shares his hope that this story will show us
that the worth of a person should not be determined only by what
we see.

Reviewed by aNN Brown
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

In a dignified manner this book offers true accounts of lives that were lived in the shadows of an uncertain heritage. With more and more Americans embracing the Thomas Jefferson-Sally Hemings romantic relationship for the reality (I have longed believed) it was, we are free to enjoy--and to learn from--this mixed-race, talented, loving family.

Few literary efforts make race seem so indistinct and unimportant today as this work by a remarkable young Jefferson-Hemings descendant. Everyone who has felt cheated by historians while attempting to learn the full story of Americans' mixed heritage can make up for that in part by reading Jefferson's Children.

By the way--it's not just a children's book. It's for everyone. It also provides a good historical perspective of Sally Hemings as the half-sister of Jefferson's late wife, Martha, who died 19 years before he became President.

Some people's sense of reality will conclude, rightly I believe, that Sally Hemings was, in his heart, the First Lady of President Thomas Jefferson. I regret the time was not right for open acknowledgment of that. It certainly is now.

This book is the best for all families who research their family trees. This book is very, very interesting and full of history! I am happy that they finally come together again in all colors and it's amazing to see! Yes, We Are America

Shannon Lanier and colleagues have created that rare book which will reach people from age 6 to 106. It's about families, yet traces the history of the United States, and how we feel about that history. The editing is incredibly good, as the authors and editors had to take accounts from many people and make them fit the space while retaining the honesty and insights. My favorite book this year.

I've been interested in this subject for a long time, and recently read the book about Sally Hemings and Jefferson, The Hemings of Monticello. The book "Jefferson's Children" contained some new information, and updates on the descendants and what they are doing today. I can recommend this book.

I've read the other reviews of this book, and I was both surprised and shocked. I'm really sick and tired of people trying to make Thomas Jefferson a god. I don't claim to know the truth on this matter, but I do know a person's family history is very important in who you are. How can somebody call the Woodson and Hemings descendents sad individuals, and that they are desperate to be related to a great man? Sorry, Jefferson was not a god, but he was an important figure in American history. This scandal doesn't diminish his integrity, it just makes him human. What I think is really shocking is the descendents of Jefferson try to push these people out, because they claim there is no real evidence to support their heritage. From what I've read from their side, the whole Jefferson family seems heartless to me, save for a few individuals on the side of the Woodson and Hemings families. The DNA may not be real clear on the matter, but it's a start. I commend the Woodson and Hemings descendents, they are brave individuals sticking up for their heritage. This book was a start for bringing about some sort of family unity. I would recommend this as a read for anybody interested in this story.

The recently published paperback is an update of the original hardback. It adds 16 pages of interesting happenings, including a visit to the White House. Additional, outstanding artwork is also included. Many different areas are identified where educators have used the original, hardback publication for academic studies. Shannon Lanier prefaces the new pages with a statement of hope for the future of his kids, his entire family and for America. Near the end, Jane Feldman extends this as a challenge to live up to Thomas Jefferson's legacy, especially: "All men are created equal".

"Jefferson's Children" is a true story of racial togetherness. It starts with Shannon and Jane off on a cross country journey. This is a model in itself, for their backgrounds and colors are substantialy different. The journey concludes with the writings of many people of different colors and backgrounds, including some who do not claim to be descended from Thomas Jefferson. This projects one loving and caring family - all of which is a unique and outstanding model of racial togetherness.

The paperback represents a step forward in American history. As readers recognize this, they may find both the hope and the challenge for the future as Shannon and Jane have.

Those who are interested in the question of who fathered Sally Hemings children may find an analysis by the National Genealogical Society of interest. It is JEFFERSON-HEMINGS, Quarterly Journal, volume 89, number 3, published in september 2001 and is available...at subscribing libraries.

I have just finished reading Jefferson's Children:The Story of One American Family, and the stories included here of the Hemings and Jefferson families have given me renewed hope that someday we all will treat each other as cousins and family. I realize that all families don't love each other, but these stories encourage me to believe that we can be more loving toward all people.

While this is catalogued as a children's book (ages 9-12), I believe it is a family book. Parents should read and discuss it with their children and teachers will develop lesson plans around it. I believe that this book will bring us all closer together.

The authors are very successful in bringing to life an old American story in a new way. Not meant to be a historical thesis, it brings depth and soul through the voices of Thomas Jefferson's children (many generations removed). The photographs capture much more than words can convey, permitting the reader to travel the generations along with those whose relatives they are. The authors created a wonderful book that eduates and heals. It is presented in a manner that children, adolescents, and adults can appreciate and grow from.