Monticello Persists in Jefferson/Hemings Paternity Smear
May 21, 2026
The Guardians of History notified Monticello that its website wrongly asserts Thomas Jefferson fathered at least six of Sally Heming’s children. The website text contradicts the conclusions of Monticello’s own report that there is only a “strong likelihood” of paternity and that the question “can never be fully resolved.”
Monticello did not respond to our bullet-proof criticism of its stance. Moreover, at this writing, the erroneous text remains on Monticello’s website. No changes have been made, as well they should be, despite the irrefutable case the Guardians presented. Such arrogance begs the question: what game is Monticello playing?
We wrote to Monticello’s Director of Marketing & Communications:
Your official Monticello website on its Thomas Jefferson biography page flatly declares that “Jefferson fathered at least six of Sally Hemings’s children.” That scurrilous and never-proven claim is repeated elsewhere on your website (here and here).
However, a group of scholars with impeccable credentials concluded in 2001:
Your website references this report (here and here), but Monticello has never satisfactorily addressed the Commission’s findings, much less refuted them. Your silence is deafening.
Equally damning is the fact that your website contradicts itself on this point. It flatly declares Thomas Jefferson fathered Hemings’ children, as noted above, but elsewhere hedges the claim with qualifiers such as there being a “high probability” of paternity or that such an eventuality was merely “likely” (qualifiers repeated here). You also make another definite declaration of paternity, but immediately equivocate on the DNA evidence: “In 1998, a DNA study genetically linked one of Hemings’s male descendants with the male line of the Jefferson family.” If, as you admit, the DNA evidence does not pinpoint Thomas Jefferson as the father, how can you pass it off as “adding to the wealth of evidence”?
The flat declarations of paternity on your website go way beyond your own report which concluded only that “our evaluation of the best evidence available suggests the strong likelihood that Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings had a relationship over time that led to the birth of one, and perhaps all, of the known children of Sally Hemings…. Further, we know that the historical record has gaps that perhaps can never be filled and mysteries that can never be fully resolved.” Statement on the TJMF Research Committee Report on Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings
Hedge statements all around but, somehow, that doesn’t stop you from making flat declarations of paternity in multiple places on your website. You are completely irresponsible.
How can you justify your claim that “Jefferson fathered at least six of Sally Hemings’s children” when you contradict yourselves and back off the claim elsewhere, including in your own report? How can you in good conscience mislead the public with your flat declarations of paternity when you have no conclusive proof and have never satisfactorily answered the findings of the Scholars Report?
In part because of your stance on the issue, many others have mindlessly repeated the claim, including John Grisham in a recent book. Your stature has contributed to the claim becoming misguided conventional wisdom. In this, you have done great damage.
Worse, many have used the Jefferson/Hemings paternity smear to trash America and its Founders. You are entrusted with preserving one of the nation’s most important historic sites, the home of Thomas Jefferson, author of our Declaration of Independence. How can you possibly side with people who are deliberately trying to tear down Thomas Jefferson and the country he helped to found?
We look forward to your response.
-Potomac Tea Party Guardians of History
May 21, 2026
The Guardians of History notified Monticello that its website wrongly asserts Thomas Jefferson fathered at least six of Sally Heming’s children. The website text contradicts the conclusions of Monticello’s own report that there is only a “strong likelihood” of paternity and that the question “can never be fully resolved.”
Monticello did not respond to our bullet-proof criticism of its stance. Moreover, at this writing, the erroneous text remains on Monticello’s website. No changes have been made, as well they should be, despite the irrefutable case the Guardians presented. Such arrogance begs the question: what game is Monticello playing?
We wrote to Monticello’s Director of Marketing & Communications:
Your official Monticello website on its Thomas Jefferson biography page flatly declares that “Jefferson fathered at least six of Sally Hemings’s children.” That scurrilous and never-proven claim is repeated elsewhere on your website (here and here).
However, a group of scholars with impeccable credentials concluded in 2001:
- “We have found most of the arguments used to point suspicion toward Thomas Jefferson to be unpersuasive and often factually erroneous. Not a single member of our group, after an investigation lasting roughly one year, finds the case against Thomas Jefferson to be highly compelling, and the overwhelming majority of us believe that it is very unlikely that he fathered any children by Sally Hemings. Certainly there were far more likely suspects, including brother Randolph and his sons, for the paternity of Eston and perhaps other Hemings children”.
The Report of the Scholars Commission on the Jefferson-Hemings Controversy at p.17, summarized here.
Your website references this report (here and here), but Monticello has never satisfactorily addressed the Commission’s findings, much less refuted them. Your silence is deafening.
Equally damning is the fact that your website contradicts itself on this point. It flatly declares Thomas Jefferson fathered Hemings’ children, as noted above, but elsewhere hedges the claim with qualifiers such as there being a “high probability” of paternity or that such an eventuality was merely “likely” (qualifiers repeated here). You also make another definite declaration of paternity, but immediately equivocate on the DNA evidence: “In 1998, a DNA study genetically linked one of Hemings’s male descendants with the male line of the Jefferson family.” If, as you admit, the DNA evidence does not pinpoint Thomas Jefferson as the father, how can you pass it off as “adding to the wealth of evidence”?
The flat declarations of paternity on your website go way beyond your own report which concluded only that “our evaluation of the best evidence available suggests the strong likelihood that Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings had a relationship over time that led to the birth of one, and perhaps all, of the known children of Sally Hemings…. Further, we know that the historical record has gaps that perhaps can never be filled and mysteries that can never be fully resolved.” Statement on the TJMF Research Committee Report on Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings
Hedge statements all around but, somehow, that doesn’t stop you from making flat declarations of paternity in multiple places on your website. You are completely irresponsible.
How can you justify your claim that “Jefferson fathered at least six of Sally Hemings’s children” when you contradict yourselves and back off the claim elsewhere, including in your own report? How can you in good conscience mislead the public with your flat declarations of paternity when you have no conclusive proof and have never satisfactorily answered the findings of the Scholars Report?
In part because of your stance on the issue, many others have mindlessly repeated the claim, including John Grisham in a recent book. Your stature has contributed to the claim becoming misguided conventional wisdom. In this, you have done great damage.
Worse, many have used the Jefferson/Hemings paternity smear to trash America and its Founders. You are entrusted with preserving one of the nation’s most important historic sites, the home of Thomas Jefferson, author of our Declaration of Independence. How can you possibly side with people who are deliberately trying to tear down Thomas Jefferson and the country he helped to found?
We look forward to your response.
-Potomac Tea Party Guardians of History