William G. Hyland (1929–2008)

Hyland makes a decent case that the lines of argument writers like Annette Gordon-Reed and Fawn Brodie use to "prove" Jefferson had a relationship with Sally Hemings are somewhat flawed. Some writers indeed come to Jefferson with preconceived hatchets to bury, and they proceed to bury them.

Hyland marshals what evidence there is to attack the evidence that ties Jefferson to Hemings, which is: (1) Jefferson was around when Hemings got pregnant, (2) people accused them of having a relationship, (3) DNA proves one of Hemings's children has male Jefferson DNA. (4) Thus, Jefferson MUST have fathered ALL of Hemings's children.

But this, logically, is an argument that does not necessarily follow. It may, but it may not. (1) Other Jeffersons were around when Hemings got pregnant, and maybe Hemings wasn't always around Monticello when Jefferson was; (2) accusations don't necessarily prove anything (as another supposed African American descendant of Jefferson, Thomas Woodson, has no Jefferson DNA); (3) just because the DNA is Jefferson DNA, doesn't mean it's THOMAS Jefferson DNA; (4) just because Eston Hemings has Jefferson DNA doesn't mean that Sally's other children were fathered by a Jefferson.

That said, a convincing case is not made that Jefferson DID NOT have a relationship Hemings. (It is hard to prove a negative, anyway.) This book serves to knock Gordon-Reed's agenda-driven research down a tad, but it doesn't invalidate it. And, the argument that Jefferson would not have had sex with her because of his principles or ill-health is, well, a hard sell. History tells us principled people and unhealthy people oftentimes lose their principles and find renewed strength all the time when sex is dangled before them.

Hyland's strenuous defense of Jefferson, in a faux and tiresome lawyer-like manner, reads too much like hero worship to take seriously.

Did Thomas Jefferson have a sexual relationship with Sally Hemings? Who knows for sure. This book tells us why we can only say "maybe" and why those books that say "for certain" are, in fact, stretching a bit.… (meer)