Early Life and Enslavement
Sally Hemings was born around 1773 into the household of John Wayles, making her the half-sister of Jefferson's wife, Martha Wayles Skelton. After Wayles's death, she was inherited by Martha Jefferson and moved to Monticello. As an enslaved woman, she served in the domestic sphere at the Jefferson estate and accompanied the family to Paris in 1787, where she was later formally "free" under French law.
Relationship with Thomas Jefferson
Hemings returned to Virginia with Jefferson in 1789 and remained at Monticello. Historians widely recognize a long-term relationship between Hemings and Jefferson, based on oral history, documentary evidence, and modern DNA analysis. She bore at least six children, four of whom survived to adulthood, and her children were members of the Jefferson family lineage.
Later Years and Legacy
After Jefferson's death in 1826, Hemings was allowed to leave Monticello by his daughter. She lived quietly in Charlottesville, Virginia, and died in 1835. Her story is central to discussions of American slavery, presidential history, and the lives of enslaved women. For further details, see the Smithsonian National Museum of American History page on Sally Hemings.
