Sally Hemings was a mixed-race slave owned by President Thomas Jefferson. However, it is suspected that the two had a long-term relationship after the death of Jefferson’s wife Martha, which resulted in several children.
Early Life
Sarah “Sally” Hemings was born in 1773. Her mother, Elizabeth Hemings, was a slave owned by her father, John Wayles. Wayles was also the father of Thomas Jefferson’s wife Martha. When Wayles died, Sally Hemings became the property of Thomas and Martha Jefferson. She was an infant when she came to Monticello and later became a nursemaid to the Jefferson’s daughter Maria.
In 1787, Hemings accompanied Maria (Polly) to Europe. At the time, Jefferson was serving as the United States Minister to France. According to her son, Madison Hemings, Hemings became Jefferson’s “concubine” while they were in France. Although she was technically a free woman in France, Sally Hemings ultimately agreed to remain a slave and return to Monticello in exchange for “extraordinary privileges” for herself and freedom for her future children.
Relationship with Thomas Jefferson
The exact nature of the relationship between Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson is unknown. While they clearly had a sexual relationship, it is unclear whether it was consensual. At the time, it was not uncommon for masters to have sexual relationships with their slaves, who were considered their “property.”
Jefferson is believed to be the father of all six of Heming’s children, although he never acknowledged paternity. What was mere speculation in 1802 is now supported by a wealth of evidence. In addition to historical accounts, published recollections, and statistical data, a 1998 DNA study found a genetic link between one of Hemings’s male descendants and the male line of the Jefferson family.
Later Life
Sally Hemings was never legally emancipated. Following Jefferson’s death, she was “unofficially” given her freedom by his daughter Martha. She moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, where she lived with her two youngest sons for the nine years until her death in 1835.
