Dear Mr Callender,

I have been silent on this too long. Throughout my life I was denied a voice and denied full rights as a human being. True, my situation was better than many slaves, but it was not fair. You, Mr Callender exposed me to pain of a sort that I'm sure no other slave experienced.

You impugned my name in your papers, revealing me as Thomas's lover and the mother of his children. You were right. But you were must unduly cruel, thrusting my incredibly private life, and the lives of my children in the spotlight. I did not bargain for this when I made my treaty with Thomas. I was forced to suffer through your insults, even your false information, your mention to my "gallants of all colors". Thomas was not married, like all of your previous targets. You were bitter, bad-natured, and bigoted. You took your anger out on me. I, who had done nothing wrong and nothing to you. Of course your revenge on Thomas took its full force out on me, who had never desired the spotlight.

In a final piece of irony, Mr Callender, I believe it is you who has made me as famous as I am in these modern days. Your pieces were not fully believed or thought important in our times. Now, however, your stories point the way to the scant other information about my life. I am important. I am to be studied. You are the bug between the pages of history books, only remembered for your cruelty toward me.

Sincerely,
Sally Hemings

Questions:
1. The story of Celia, as told in The Hemings of Monticello, has one major difference from the version we read in "The Metalanguage of Race" week 1. How does the presence of Celia's boyfriend, George, complicate the story? Why do you think Higginbotham chose to leave him out?

2. In what ways are the lives of the Hemings extraordinary for their times, and in which ways were they typical? How are the two helpful for learning about their times and situation?