Framing A Legend
Exposing the Distorted History of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings
M. Andrew Holowchak, assistant professor of philosophy at Rutgers
2013 Prometheus Books
M. Andrew Holowchak does a fine job of deconstructing (dismissing) some of the books about the Sally Hemings- Thomas Jefferson relationship including Fawn Brodie's which have said that Sally was Thomas slave mistresses and that her 6 children were by him. One aspect of this book that I found most interesting and perhaps convincing is when he tackles the question of family memory and DNA. As Holowchak says it, a relative of Jefferson's is, in some branches of the Jefferson family, acknowledged to be the father of the children, meaning that some of the DNA is the same and some is not. Since I think DNA is the most convincing evidence and that DNA testing is getting more and more sophisticated...I find it all so fascinating, especially as that no one has actually dug up Jefferson to test for his DNA ...
Additionally, I wonder if there is any DNA investigation into the DNA of Thomas Jefferson's wife's DNA, and her fathers, which should also be appearing in Sally and her descendants.
Additionally, I wonder if there is any DNA investigation into the DNA of Thomas Jefferson's wife's DNA, and her fathers, which should also be appearing in Sally and her descendants.
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