New DNA Evidence Reinforces Thomas Jefferson's Paternity of Sally Hemings' Children

New DNA evidence derived from strands of Thomas Jefferson's hair further substantiates the historical conclusion that he fathered children with Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman at Monticello. The findings, detailed in anthropologist Richard Kurin's book "History by a Hair," were acknowledged by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, which operates Monticello.

The analysis, which modeled paternity scenarios involving Jefferson, his brother Randolph, and Randolph's sons, found the odds that Jefferson was not the father of Hemings' sons Madison and Eston to be less than one in 1,000. This genetic comparison reinforces conclusions that have been widely accepted by historians for years.

In a statement, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation emphasized that the study "reinforces, rather than rewrites, the historical record." The foundation added, "The study doesn't change what we know about Thomas Jefferson, Sally Hemings, their children or their world. But it offers occasion to reflect on how we came to know it, and why we share that knowledge."

Historians, including Leigh Fought, professor emerita of history at Le Moyne College and author of "Sally Hemings: Given Her Time," stated that the new evidence should definitively settle the matter. "This should close the case with a lock," Fought told Fox News Digital, noting that the extensive evidence required to confirm the paternity is unusual for historical events of that era.

Rumors of Jefferson's paternity circulated during his lifetime and persisted for generations. A significant DNA study in 1998 first established a genetic link between a male-line descendant of Hemings' son Eston and the Jefferson male line. Fought indicated that the recent findings also exclude alternative theories, such as Jefferson's brother Randolph being the father.

Fought highlighted that the story of Jefferson and Hemings offers an opportunity to focus on Hemings herself, describing her as a "fascinating woman" who utilized her limited agency to secure a better future and freedom for her children.

"She took what little agency she had and made sure that her children were going to have a better life. They were going to be free," Fought said. She urged a complex view of Jefferson's legacy, stating, "When you study history, you study humanity. And you shouldn't study it for heroes."