Hello again, list-members. I want to apologize (as the one who initiated
the topic) to anyone who finds these exchanges less than endifying or
entertaining. That said, I want to clarify my purposes in offering a
course on the Jefferson-Hemings scandal and the resulting two centuries
of controversy. As a cultural historian I am interested in the
phenomenon of how the controversy has unfolded: from political scandal,
to family scandal, to inspiration for novels, to grist for biographers
and psycho-biographers, to interesting test of modern genetic
technologies, etc., etc. It is not my intent -- or interest for that
matter -- to present my students a "directed result" as Mr. Dixon calls
it. Far from it; I expect my students to read a variety of
perspectives. My own interests in history touching on the subject are
more general: the phenomenon of interracial sex and what is indicates
about the nature of our antebellum slave society. The Jefferson-Hemings
rumors (or whatever one wants to call it) are illustrative of how people
thought (and think) about those issues.
David Kiracofe
On Thu, 27 Mar 2003 09:08:47 -0500 Richard Dixon wrote:
> That is an interesting comment. Is there a distinction between "self
> appointed" and "independent?" The reputations of the scholars on the
> Scholar Commission are well established. I don't think you want a
> debate on
> the messenger. The issue for a course study should be the breath of the
> materials for study. Relying only on Gordon-Reed, Ellis, Onuf, etc., and
> the suggested National Genealogical Society article, presents the unread
> (i.e., students) with a directed result.
>
> Richard E. Dixon
> Clifton, VA 20124-2115
> 703-830-8177
> fax 703-691-0978
>
>
>
> > [Original Message]
> > From: Paul Finkelman <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Date: 3/26/2003 4:11:14 PM
> > Subject: Re: Jefferson-Hemings popular resources
> >
> > I think it is worth noting that the "scholars commission" was a
> > self-appointed commission with the goal of refuting the work of more
> > independent scholars.
> >
> > paul finkelman
> >
> > Richard Dixon wrote:
> > > Your suggested syllabus contains only writers that advance the claim
> that
> > > Jefferson fathered children by Sally Hemings. The Scholars Commission
> did
> > > not conclude that but you indicate only "selected essays" will read.
> The
> > > work of the Scholars Commission is the only comprehensive analysis of
> this
> > > issue. The full report is at http://www.tjheritage.org/ That is
> the web
> > > site of the Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society and it contains other
> > > articles that contradict the evidence relied on by Gordon-Reed, Ellis,
> etc.
>
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David Kiracofe
College of Charleston
Department of History
66 George Street
Charleston, SC 29424
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