The remarkable untold story of Thomas Jefferson’s three daughters—two white and free, one black and enslaved—and the divergent paths they forged in a newly independent America FINALIST FOR THE GEORGE WASHINGTON PRIZE • “Beautifully written . . . To a nuanced study of Jefferson’s two white daughters, Martha and Maria, [Kerrison] innovatively adds a discussion of his only enslaved daughter, Harriet … enslaved daughter, Harriet Hemings.”—The New York Times Book Review
Thomas Jefferson had three daughters: Martha and Maria by his wife, Martha Wayles Jefferson, and Harriet by his slave Sally Hemings. Although the three women shared a father, the similarities end there. Martha and Maria received a fine convent school education while they lived with their father during his diplomatic posting in Paris. Once they returned home, however, the sisters found their options limited by the laws and customs of early America. Harriet Hemings followed a different path. She escaped slavery—apparently with the assistance of Jefferson himself. Leaving Monticello behind, she boarded a coach and set off for a decidedly uncertain future.
For this groundbreaking triple biography, history scholar Catherine Kerrison has uncovered never-before-published documents written by the Jefferson sisters, as well as letters written by members of the Jefferson and Hemings families. The richly interwoven stories of these strong women and their fight to shape their own destinies shed new light on issues of race and gender that are still relevant today—and on the legacy of one of our most controversial Founding Fathers.
Praise for Jefferson’s Daughters
“A fascinating glimpse of where we have been as a nation . . . Catherine Kerrison tells us the stories of three of Thomas Jefferson’s children, who, due to their gender and race, lived lives whose most intimate details are lost to time.”—USA Today
“A valuable addition to the history of Revolutionary-era America.”—The Boston Globe
“A thought-provoking nonfiction narrative that reads like a novel.”—BookPage
more
I often wondered how Thomas Jefferson’s daughters reacted and felt about Sally Hemmings and in this book it gives the detail of the lives of the three women. I wish that the daughters would have kept a journal of some sort to know how they felt about their father and siblings.
Too much distracting and only marginally related detail make this work difficult to read and follow. Don’t waist your time..
Generally, I love reading books about historical people and their families. However, I struggled to get through this one. I was reading only about 20 pages each day and finally about halfway through I had to give up and go read something more interesting. About a month later I went back and finished the book – still at only about 20 pages a day.
Fun to look into the lives of those we know actually live in that setting and time!
History never taught in school about Thomas Jefferson and his relationships with his daughters. It has been said that he was “a man of his time” accepting the roles of slave owner and slaves. But, this story should be more wildly known.
Not what I expected. I thought that this would be more story-like, instead of a straight historical account, so it was somewhat disappointing. However, the research required of the author must have been extensive. It was more scholarly reading than what I thought it would be from the descriptio
I would add very interesting and insightful with an emphasis on what it meant to be a woman in those times, both white and black.
I think this book is a must read for anyone who wants a more complete picture of Jefferson and the times in which he lived. Though I was aware of the family history surrounding him, reading them in detail was disturbing. The view from his daughters’ lives offers compelling lessons for our world today.
Eye opener about how slaves, even those born to the master are treated.
This book simply went on too long about the same stuff. It would have been better if not so repetitive
Both educational and so in tune with what is still occurring today. Gave a realistic picture of the time and the many tragedies from a time in our nation’s history.
It reads like a history lesson, steeped in fact and boring.
I was especially intrigued by the way Monticello was described as a home designed to fit Thomas Jefferson’s needs, but l less comfortable for his daughter and her children. I was also surpris d on the double standard in educational curriculum proscribed for males and females. The research expended to track what happened to Jefferson’s third daughter was impressive.
Very informative in an engaging way.
Lots of historical information that I did not know.
Interesting look at how things were years ago.
Really interesting, but should be edited down.
I thought that this book was a total waste of time. Too hard to get into the story.
The book was longer than necessary. The author should have been more selective about what was included and desisted from extensive speculation.
I liked it. May change your opinion of Jefferson
A remarkable piece of research. Heart rendering to know that Jefferson barely wanted to recognize his offspring as his children. A mark of the times. Sad. An eye opener.