Yes, I misstated that. Betty Hemings is assumed to have been 1/2 white, so Sally Hemings was 3/4 white if she had a white father and her children would be 7/8 white (legally white under Virginia law) with a white father 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]> > Cc: <[log in to unmask]> > Date: 4/22/2003 4:34:17 PM > Subject: Re: White slaves > > Actually, isn't the assumption that Betty Hemings (Sally's mother) was > half white; > > Richard Dixon wrote: > > >The assumption that Sally Hemings was the child of a black women and a > >white man seems accepted. Her children are also assumed to have been the > >children of a white man. Under the Virginia law at that time, they were > >white.Why then did Jefferson seek permission (also a requirement of > >statute) for Madison and Eston Hemings, freed under the terms of his will, > >to remain in Virginia. It was also provided by statute that the child of a > >slave women was born a slave, If the child were white and freed when an > >adult, why did he not become a "white man" and automatically divested of > >those requirements that control black freed slaves, i.e., leave the > >Commonwealth unless granted permission to stay by the General Assembly? > > > > > >Richard E. Dixon > >Clifton, VA 20124-2115 > >703-830-8177 > >fax 703-691-0978 > > > >To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions > >at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > > > > > > > > -- > Paul Finkelman > Chapman Distinguished Professor of Law > University of Tulsa College of Law > 3120 East 4th Place > Tulsa, OK 74104-3189 > > 918-631-3706 (office) > 918-631-2194 (fax) > > [log in to unmask] > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html