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Powell
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fwsweet
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 Posted: Mon 22 Sep 2008 19:28 Post subject: Re: NPR: The Hemingses of Monticello |
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| Annette Gordon-Reed wrote: | | It was during that period that the basic meanings of "whiteness" and "blackness" were in the process of being defined for the American population. |
It is a shame that she does not expand on this in the interview. I imagine that she must in her book. Eston was accepted as White in Virginia society, as was his wife, Julia-Ann Isaacs (who also had a Black grandparent), and their children, who thoroughly assimilated into White Wisconsin society. Here is a photo of their son (Sally's grandson) in his Civil War Union Army officer's uniform. His name was John Wayles Jefferson. The family changed their surname when they moved to Wisconsin. Wayles was Sally's father's last name.
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Powell
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| Posted: Mon 22 Sep 2008 19:46 Post subject: Re: NPR: The Hemingses of Monticello |
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| fwsweet wrote: | | Annette Gordon-Reed wrote: | | It was during that period that the basic meanings of "whiteness" and "blackness" were in the process of being defined for the American population. |
It is a shame that she does not expand on this in the interview. I imagine that she must in her book. Eston was accepted as White in Virginia society, as was his wife, Julia-Ann Isaacs (who also had a Black grandparent), and their children, who thoroughly assimilated into White Wisconsin society. Here is a photo of their son (Sally's grandson) in his Civil War Union Army officer's uniform. His name was John Wayles Jefferson. The family changed their surname when they moved to Wisconsin. Wayles was Sally's father's last name.
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The "passed for white" myth is continually promoted.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wayles_Jefferson |
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fwsweet
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| Posted: Mon 22 Sep 2008 20:06 Post subject: Re: NPR: The Hemingses of Monticello |
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Well, I don't believe anything I see in Wikipedia, and only half of what I see in PBS Frontline. Nevertheless, the story that a neighbor in 1902 said, "He begged me not to tell the fact that he had colored blood in his veins, which he said was not suspected by any of his command; and of course I did not," might well be true. By 1902, Jim Crow was rampant, the lynchings were in full swing, and admitting to having some "colored blood" could have been ruinous. The change between 1826 (when Jefferson died) and 1902 (when the quotation is claimed) in how Americans viewed "race" was so dramatic that it is hard for most folks nowadays to grasp. Don't forget, the person telling the story was remembering a conversation from at least ten years earlier, probably much more, since Col. Jefferson died in 1892. |
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Powell
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| Posted: Mon 22 Sep 2008 20:54 Post subject: Re: NPR: The Hemingses of Monticello |
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| fwsweet wrote: |
Well, I don't believe anything I see in Wikipedia, and only half of what I see in PBS Frontline. Nevertheless, the story that a neighbor in 1902 said, "He begged me not to tell the fact that he had colored blood in his veins, which he said was not suspected by any of his command; and of course I did not," might well be true. By 1902, Jim Crow was rampant, the lynchings were in full swing, and admitting to having some "colored blood" could have been ruinous. The change between 1826 (when Jefferson died) and 1902 (when the quotation is claimed) in how Americans viewed "race" was so dramatic that it is hard for most folks nowadays to grasp. Don't forget, the person telling the story was remembering a conversation from at least ten years earlier, probably much more, since Col. Jefferson died in 1892. |
Read the outraged remarks on Amazon from the people who say that TJ never had sex with that woman:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393064778/ref=cm_rdp_product |
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fwsweet
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Location: Palm Coast, FL
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| Posted: Mon 22 Sep 2008 21:11 Post subject: Re: NPR: The Hemingses of Monticello |
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| Powell wrote: | | Read the outraged remarks on Amazon from the people who say that TJ never had sex with that woman. |
Jefferson family historian Herb Barger is the only poster (so far) on Amazon who suggests that. He will go to his grave believing that, even after everyone else on earth has accepted the DNA evidence. It is sad.
What the hell, I know some paleoanthropologists who insist that White folks evolved from White apes and Black folks evolved from Black apes. Our species may have common ancestor with Chimps, but Whites have no common ancestor with Blacks, they believe. It is sad. But you cannot judge the level-headed majority by the ravings of a few fruitcakes. |
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Powell
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| Posted: Mon 22 Sep 2008 23:13 Post subject: Re: NPR: The Hemingses of Monticello |
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| fwsweet wrote: | | Powell wrote: | | Read the outraged remarks on Amazon from the people who say that TJ never had sex with that woman. |
Jefferson family historian Herb Barger is the only poster (so far) on Amazon who suggests that. He will go to his grave believing that, even after everyone else on earth has accepted the DNA evidence. It is sad.
What the hell, I know some paleoanthropologists who insist that White folks evolved from White apes and Black folks evolved from Black apes. Our species may have common ancestor with Chimps, but Whites have no common ancestor with Blacks, they believe. It is sad. But you cannot judge the level-headed majority by the ravings of a few fruitcakes. |
Rebecca McMurry is another one who posted on the new Gordon-Reed book.
It appears that she and Barger don't even want to believe that Sally and Martha were half-sisters:
http://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Scandal-Thomas-Jefferson-Sally/dp/1572493038/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222125048&sr=1-1 |
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