Jefferson's Sons

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Overview

The untold story of Thomas Jefferson's slave children

Beverly, Harriet, Madison, and Eston are Thomas Jefferson's children by one of his slaves, Sally Hemings, and while they do get special treatment - better work, better shoes, even violin lessons - they are still slaves, and are never to mention who their father is. The lighter-skinned children have been promised a chance to escape into white society, but what does this mean for the children who look more like their mother? As each child grows up, their questions about slavery and freedom become tougher, calling into question the real meaning of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Told in three parts from the points of view of three of Jefferson's slaves - Beverly, Madison, and a third boy close to the Hemings family - these engaging and poignant voices shed light on what life was like as one of Jefferson's invisible offspring.

Editorial Reviews

Children's Literature

Just imagine that the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence and noted that "all men are created equal" was the father of "invisible" slave children. A graph in the front of the book shows that Jefferson had six children with his wife Martha. His slave, Sally Hemings had seven children. Some believe four of her children were fathered by Jefferson. Others believe he was the father of all seven children. This story is told in three parts from the point of view of two of Jefferson and Hemings' children, and from that of a third boy who was also a slave. These viewpoints allow slavery to be seen from a child's perspective. Although fictional in presentation, Bradley did extensive research at Monticello with the historians there to bring this story to life in a realistic way. She does not gloss over the evils of slavery, but presents this history in a factual way. An additional sensitive issue of ?passing for white' is also addressed since all but one of the children of Jefferson and Hemings fit this criterion. The final word in the novel is SOLD; this conclusion summarizes the historical period of slavery in America. Bradley provides further insight in the "Afterword" into the lives of the characters she chose to portray, and separates fact from fiction. An additional section, "Most Useful Sources for Further Study", lists additional resources about the subject. Reviewer: Annie Laura Smith

School Library Journal

Gr 6–9—This well-researched fictional look at the lives of the sons of Thomas Jefferson and his slave Sally Hemings echoes with the horrors of slavery and the contradictions within the author of the Declaration of Independence and an admired champion of liberty. Bradley depicts Sally Hemings as a determined woman who accepts her role as a slave and secret lover of the president while she focuses on the promised freedom for her children. The story is told mainly by her three sons, Beverly, Madison, and Eston. Hemings never allows her children to forget that they are slaves while they live at Monticello and makes sure that they are aware of slavery's repulsiveness, despite their somewhat special status. She plans to have her light-skinned son Beverly and daughter Harriet go out in the world and "pass" as white people, but this will require that they never acknowledge her or their darker family members again. Eventually financial difficulties grow, and Jefferson is forced to sell many possessions, including 130 slaves. Maddy and Eston are given their freedom at the age of 21, but Sally Hemings was never set free. Bradley's fine characterization and cinematic prose breathe life into this tragic story.—Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780803734999
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Publication date: 9/15/2011
Pages: 368
Sales rank: 71,936
Age range: 9 - 12 Years
Lexile: 600L (what's this?)
Product dimensions: 6.12 (w) x 8.50 (h) x 1.18 (d)

Meet the Author

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley lives on a forty-two-acre farm in Bristol, Tennessee.

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Anonymous

Posted January 7, 2012

Highly recommended

The book provides a great perspective since the narrating voices belong to Jefferson's sons with Sally Hemings when they were little. It spares the immediate judgmental aspect and provides a fresh look at what life might have been in the Jefferson's household.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 8, 2012

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