Why do you think claims that Jefferson fathered several children with Sally Hemings were generally ignored during Jefferson's lifetime and later by historians?
• Why do you think accusations made at the time by JamesCallender failed to hurt Jefferson politically? Do you think a similar scandal would hurt an American president or
elected leader today? Why or why not?
• Based on these accounts how common was racial intermixing in 18th and 19th century Virginia?
• Why did the Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society seek to reinvestigate the Jefferson/Hemings' story?
• Should Jefferson's relationship with Sally Hemings influence how we view Jefferson and his place in American history? If not, why not? If yes, how should it influence how we
view him?