Enslaved

Digging Up the Past

Sally Hemings is a name unknown to many, yet, her legacy during the time of our founding fathers is quite intriguing. Historians believe Ms. Hemings, an enslaved woman to Thomas Jefferson in his Monticello home, gave birth to six of his children. Recently, "historians studied a description provided long ago by a grandson of Jefferson who placed Hemings’ room in the home’s South Wing." As archaeologists began digging, they uncovered a 14x13' room adjacent to the Jefferson's bedroom with no windows and a dirt floor along with multiple artifacts; although it is still believed she lived a higher life than other enslaved people on the grounds. This discovery is part of a $35 million restoration of the grounds in an effort to retell the stories, both good and bad, that are still alive within the walls today.