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 freedom at 21 and a chance to escape into white society, but what does this mean for the children who look more like their mother Sally? 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."[2]
"Kimberly Brubaker Bradley doesn’t just tackle the issue of someone like Thomas Jefferson owning slaves...She tackles the notion that he owned his own children as well. A great story. A killer ending. A must read."[3]
"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's fine characterization and cinematic prose breathe life into this tragic story."
Of note:
360 pages, published in 2011
Told from the perspective of 3 characters
Beverly & Madison Hemings (two of Jefferson's sons) and Peter Fossett (another slave, not a son of Jefferson)
Extras that help if you're not familiar with the book's topic of Jefferson's "invisible children":
Family tree of Jefferson's descendants (by his slave, Sally Hemings, and by his wife, Martha Wayles)
Author's note (the Afterward) that explains some of the history, including its controversial nature
A brief list of other print resources on the topic; a longer list is online
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