Why did some of Sally Hemings's children identify themselves as white and others as black

[MegaMonday12]

If you define someone with 7/8 White and 1/8 African as Black, it just gave you that many more folks to enslave, including your own children.

[bondurango]

In those days, if you were "black", it was because you were a slave. Sally Hemmings was 3/4 white & by all accounts passed for white, not black. Yet, she was a slave. Of course, the term black never applied to mixed race which was termed "colored" & if you were slightly more white than black, they had labels like mulatto or vice-versa, negro. Either way, you were a lower caste race subject to slavery & Jim Crow laws.

[Rockstafeller]

@bondurango Slave is not synonymous with Black!!! One drop rule showed up in LATE 1890S!!!!

[bondurango]

@Rockstafeller

In America, black IS "synonymous" with slavery because there were never ANY white slaves (indentured servitude was not synonymous because it was not indefinite). The one drop rule made you black if you had ANY Black African ancestry regardless of whether you had a slave history. So, if it didn't make slave synonymous with black it was only because slavery was banned. But it did make black "synonymous" with slave in an indefinite, Jim Crow world "synonymous" with slavery.

[alfamail2016]

@bondurango the 1 drop rule did't apply until 1924

[bbgurl22ful]

I dont see why their children should have been considered black at all. They were only 1/8 black. I am 1/8 white and I would never ever consider myself white.

[varaada]

@bbgurl22ful Exactly

[NetjerAshe]

@bbgurl22ful Back in the day the one drop rule was for the black people, back in the day you could be white as snow but if you had any black in you they considered you a black, this is because the white man coudnt keep his dick out of the slaves, but far as equality that was out the question!!

[DSkeptic86]

@bbgurl22ful Simple! Because the black gene is the dominant gene while the white gene is recessive. Period.

[JRF1961]

You have to remember they were White, so they did not have to 'Pass' for White. Once they left the plantation there was no limits on where they could live or do. The way I look at, if once is 3/4 of any race/ethnic group, then they can belong to that ethnic group or race.

[FightsRightsAlways]

@dukenukembunz69 the point is he never said anything about it.did you know that he spoke out against slavery but had his slaves home underground so nobody would know? i don't relly have to much respect for him because of that he was a rapist and a lair.but you don't here that talk in history class do you??

[msmelody1960]

@FightsRightsAlways i agree with you on jefferson,but why does'nt anybody talk about weat ford?he was george washington black son!seems all of our founding fathers rape thier slaves:(

[FightsRightsAlways]

@msmelody1960 THANK YOU!!! it's about time someone said something!! they only teach about slavery they never go in to DETAIL which is important.but the minute you do people start going off and saying to leave it in the pass,but it's not just black history it's AMERICA"S as well.people just need to deal with it instead of covering it up.what was done with people in slavery was a sick and twisted thing.and it's the job of teachers/professors to TEACH it,not sugar coat it.

[msmelody1960]

@FightsRightsAlways well america remains in denial and goes nowhere,still full of hate and bias.still full of innocent biracial peolple caught in the middle.very sad,will it change or remain the same.only time will tell.

[FightsRightsAlways]

@msmelody1960 of course people in america are in denial.but it's up to people like you me to set them straight.keeping the truth alive is something that needs to be done.no matter how uncomfortable,or upsetting it maybe.truth:it may not be popular but it's always right.

[TheKkmusic09]

Supposely because of this scandal jefferson from my mothers side of the family is a great x idk 4 times uncle and some people thinks my moms white-weird

[Delaware84]

Little do people know that a lot of African American did this throughout the 20th century as well...I have family that passed, including a grandfather

[DKMontoya4670]

This would also describe the instance of Nicole Ritchie who was born of a mixed-race black father and a white mother. Nicole looks, dresses, and "passes" for white in the entertainment industry.

[Fuzzbabby]

@DKMontoya4670 I'm not sure what you mean she said on tyra that she's black and that's what's on her drivers license. DO you mean in terms of how the media generally portrays her.

[BiracialGirl1977]

@DKMontoya4670  Part 1: You said :

Nicole Richie looks, dresses, and "passes" for white in the entertainment industry.

My reply is : What do you mean dresses and passes for white, I can understand you saying she CAN pass for white because she can however, she doesn't keep it secret that she has Black in her. I heard her say she identifies as Black so she's not passing.

[BiracialGirl1977]

@DKMontoya4670 Part 2: And what do you mean by dresses white, I didn't know someone could dress white. Whats dressing white and whats considered dressing Black ?

[rupal20101]

@DKMontoya4670

Yo, Nicole Richie is adopted, she is not her black father's biological daughter

[yak6ex]

@rupal20101

No she is her black mother's biological dauther. Her dad is white.

[yak6ex]

@rupal20101

No she is mixed her black mother's biological dauther. Her dad is white.

[taesharobinson]

@DKMontoya4670 .. Nicole Ritchie is adopted.. but she's Shiela's E's niece... Nicole is Shiela E's brothers child...

[josephortizgarcia]

@dukenukembunz69 I stand by my statement.

[jb26508]

Im reading her book now.

[areyouquitemad]

From the historical accounts that i've read, Sally was - by all appearances - white. She would only have been a slave because she was born of parents one of whom was a slave. Following the one drop rule, a family line can be identified as 'black' for generations and have only a miniscule amount of black.

[yak6ex]

@areyouquitemad

She was a quadroon.

[jhunted7667]

if you knew people in the future were going to talk , and posterity wanted to keep a secret you would have a portrait painted of her that made her look very unattractive to disuade wagging tonques

[yak6ex]

jhunted7667

What's is your point and what are you talking about?

[jhunted7667]

race, color , doesn't matter it's what your personal characterics are

[buzzclick500]

Yuk! "quadroon" sounds almost as bad as the "n" word! Can't she just be referred to as a lady or woman?

[yak6ex]

@buzzclick500

Don't stand up for a woman who liked being used as a cum bucket by her "OWNER". What kind of black would have such low self worth.

[buzzclick500]

I don't have the authority to put a scarlet letter on a lady about whom I have no serious or factual knowledge. Ever hear of Josephine Baker? Terrific lady.

[msmelody1960]

@yak6ex wow epic fail...you speak ill of a women who died 200yrs ago,as if you knew her personally?!

[jhunted7667]

if you want to see a mirror picture of Sally Hemming the look at Venessa Williams

it would not surprise me if Venessa Williams turns out to be a blood decendent of Sally Hemming

[buzzclick500]

Vanessa Williams seems to be doing all right for herself, & probably doesn't care about this nonsense.

[jhunted7667]

I'm only relating my thoughts , it's only for her to say whats non sense and what holds meaning for her , I would want to know if I was related which characteristics I inherited , Vennessa have the same effect on her husband that Sally had on Jefferson although some men can't accept success in females

[blldgs101]

She was half sister of his wife that died? Think about it? Hell the way I see it, Monica lewinsky was a mistress, this 36 years sounds like he could have changed his environment, if he was as evil as you say, you must understand evil psychology, and an evil dude, would definately exchange an aging woman for youth. Especially a successful man with wealth. The question is, did she love him?

[buzzclick500]

Evil has no psychology. It is what it is, and any thinking person can detect it quite easily, and if they have any brains, leave it alone.

[jhunted7667]

shame on you , how can you compare Clinton to a statesman like Jefferson, Jefferson's wife was a pale sickly women more than likely she was hypoglycemic , sally hemings was a dead ringer for Venessa Williams

Jefferson's wife used to sleep on the second floor where sally slept pretty much very lowwer level he used to go to her in the middle of the night in the begining where she would just hold him , then things progressed ,do think that he could haved functioned as well as he did without her

[jhunted7667]

Sally Hemings gave Jefferson the emotional equilibrium that he needed

look at the passion in his writing's she gave to him what he needed , (I HAVE SWORN ON THE ALTER OF GOD ETERNAL HOSTILITY AGAINST EVERY FORM OF TYRANNY OVER THE MIND OF MAN) I think she loved him very much enough to cherish the children he gave her, she knew what she meant to him

[yak6ex]

@jhunted7667

What color are you?

[jhunted7667]

white , some people always elude to the legality of my birth with statements but I don't let that bother me

[RedSkullthagreat]

Sally is the beginning of the BW Vs. BM issue. Or at least one of them. She was a traitor to her race,and did her children a great injustice as well as made them live through shame.

[yak6ex]

Did she have a coice?

[RedSkullthagreat]

@yak6ex -When Sally went with Jefferson to Paris, the French government offered her asylum, she refused, choosing to return with Jefferson, and have children.

[yak6ex]

@RedSkullthagreat

How do you know this interesting fact?

[RedSkullthagreat]

@RedSkullthagreat -The Library, my friend.

[buzzclick500]

What's a "coice"?

[yak6ex]

Slaves had no free will did they?

[buzzclick500]

In America, race is irrelevant. One sign of maturity is to ignore race.

[KaNdYMoNsTeRs]

Her voice sounds like michelle obama's

[JeffersonMonticello]

Lawyers are highly trained at analytical thinking and research, two key skills in the study of history.

[beckirene]

Sally was Thomas' slave, it makes a lot more sense for it to be his kid than his brother's children. She lived with Jefferson and was with him MUCH more than anyone else.

[SPIDERHULK101]

WOW THIS PROVES WHITE DUDES DID GO CRAZY OVER SISTAZ I GUESS THATS WHY THEY HATED US WE HAD THE BEST LOOKING WOMEN

[DSkeptic86]

@SPIDERHULK101 lol, AMEN!

[jppuertorico85]

@JeffersonMonticello Dr. Gordon-Reed is amazing! Her legal background is indispensable in unraveling the story of the Hemings Family.

[scenemaker03]

isn't this lady a law professor? what does a law professor's opinion matter in terms of understanding history...

[angel7publications]

I do believe that several of the children were redheads. I have always been interested in the story as well. However, the truth is that Sally Hemmings was a slave and Thomas Jefferson owned her. Identifying them as a couple implies that she had a choice, and we know well that she did not.

[roxanne1941]

I think this is really interesting. I have found Jefferson and Hemmings to be such an interesting couple for many years now, and have always been interested in genetics. I believe that several of their children were actually redheads, none the less!

[angel7publications]

Perhaps the need to be seen as a whoel and equal human being and having choices in life was the overwhelming factor in their deciding to pass. I am certain it could not have been easy leaving family behind. From where we sit, it is impossible to image the dynamics involved in having to make such a horrendous choice.However right or wrong, many had to make it.

[Rockstafeller]

@angel7publications PASS? They WERE 7/8 White. So they just claimed their place.