Dear Ms. Elizabeth Hemmings

Im my attempts to reconstruct and understand your history I have encountered several obstacles. As the matriarch of perhaps one of the most well-known black families in the 18th century, I am curious to how you responded and acted in certain situations under specific circumstances. Was your relationship with Mr. Wayles merely sexual-and him forcing himself upon you, or did you two develop a more emotional relationship of some sort.

You may not be aware, but your daughter, Sally Hemings, is one of the most famous black women in the contemporary imagination of slavery. I hope that my new book not only depicts an accurate account of the lives of you and your family, but also give credit to the agency you exercised given your circumstances. Your life and the lives of your children offer insight into a the dynamics of slavery amongst mixed race slaves, as well as the internal conflicts Thomas Jefferson had as evident in his wavering stance on slavery.

Best,

Annette Gordon-Reed

Questions:

1) How did Jefferson reconcile of wavering and contradictory beliefs about slavery and freedom?

2) Jefferson acknowledges that white people hold an irrational prejudice toward African-Americans. What implications does this have on the relationship between theory and praxis?