The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family

Annette Gordon-Reed's groundbreaking work, 'The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family,' offers a comprehensive exploration of the lives and relationships within the Hemings family, enslaved descendants of Thomas Jefferson. The book reconstructs their experiences from colonial Virginia through the antebellum period, leveraging extensive primary and secondary source research, including contributions from historians and archaeologists at Monticello. Gordon-Reed synthesizes historiography on American slavery to illuminate the social dynamics, familial bonds, and interactions between enslaved Hemingses and their white owners or associates. This meticulously researched narrative provides unprecedented insights into the complexities of enslaved life in America.

Stevenson, B. E. (2011). The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family. Journal of American History, 98(1), 154–155. https://doi.org/10.1093/jahist/jar004