Gayle Jessup White had long heard the stories passed down from her father's family that they were direct descendants of Thomas Jefferson--lore she firmly believed. For four decades the journalist and genealogy enthusiast researched her connection to Thomas Jefferson. After she was named a Jefferson Studies Fellow, Jessup White discovered her family lore was correct. Poring through photos and documents and pursuing DNA evidence, she learned that not only was she a descendant of Jefferson on his father's side, she was also ...
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Gayle Jessup White had long heard the stories passed down from her father's family that they were direct descendants of Thomas Jefferson--lore she firmly believed. For four decades the journalist and genealogy enthusiast researched her connection to Thomas Jefferson. After she was named a Jefferson Studies Fellow, Jessup White discovered her family lore was correct. Poring through photos and documents and pursuing DNA evidence, she learned that not only was she a descendant of Jefferson on his father's side, she was also the great-great-great-granddaughter of Peter Hemings, Sally Hemings's brother. In Reclamation she chronicles her journey to definitively understand her heritage and reclaim it and offers a portrait of what it means to be a Black woman in America, to pursue the American dream, to reconcile the legacy of racism, and to ensure the nation lives up to the ideals advocated by her legendary ancestor.
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