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It was four generations of the Jefferson and Hemings families. Indeed, it is a homecoming for us all. Cheryl Wills, Emmy Award-winning journalist and author ofThe Emancipation of Grandpa Sandy Wills, "From a girl of Black middle-class privilege to a politically charged race woman driven to unearth the truth of her ancestry, Gayle Jessup White takes us on a journey of self-discovery. Reclamation with Gayle Jessup White - White House Historical Association Explore the Initiative A Tour of the White House America's Most Famous House Music in the White House A Lyrical History of the American Presidency and People A Reflection of Culture, Values, and Achievements The White House Behind the Scenes She says, I always felt that if I could determine my ties to Jefferson, I could find out more about my family. there. After a 25-year career in communications, Gayle seized the opportunity to pursue her passion, history, beginning as an educator at Richmonds Valentine Museum, and ultimately landing a position at the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, the non-profit organization that owns and operates Monticello, her ancestral home. submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email Discover steps to bring you closer to Christ. As she desperately prays for healing, hear the message she receives from God on todays A woman receives an answer to a prayer she never wanted to pray. She was thirteen when her sister shared a bit of family lore regarding the main author of the Declaration of Independencethey were related. Trade PB, Format: Man died Wednesday. Gayle explains, I'm actually descended from her brother, Peter Hemings, who was a cook at Monticello. By They were tough. Everyone at the table at the party was discussing their lineage with great pride. The conversation focuses on Trumans unexpected ascension to the pr Has the White House ever been renovated or changed? This was happening all over in plantations in the South. In 2014, Gayle was selected for the fellowship program at the international center for Jefferson studies. With Cinders help, Gayles four decades of research would soon culminate: Thomas Jefferson was her 5-times great grandfather, and Sally Hemings, her 4-times great aunt. They survived. 5:30pm. In the book, she describes their horror upon driving down Monument Avenue and seeing its Confederate statues. This program was held at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. And my sister was a little girl when she first heard this from Aunt Peachie. CONNECT: Gayle Jes. ortraits by Rembrandt Peale, left, and. Hardcover Oral history matters because for many Black people that's all we have, Gayle explains. Classroom Resource Packet: Slavery, Freedom, and the White HouseJames Madison's Montpelier: Fate in the BalanceThe Enslaved Household of Dr. Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell, author of "Red, White and Blue on the Runway: The 1968 White House Fashion Show and the Politics Join historian and Pat Nixon biographer Heath Lee and former Nixon White House staffer Barbara Franklin as they discuss the Join us in learning more about White House History right from your own home. Fairfield Universitys Open VISIONS Forum (OVF) will host a compelling and timely discussion on racism, politics, power, and slavery at the Quick Center on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 at 8 p.m. though others did not. They were possessions. But more important, as I began to understand the history, being descended from the people he enslaved and knowing who they were became a more important part of my identity.. Read full bio Most Popular Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendant's . Its a contradiction that courses through Whites bloodstream and inhabits her DNA as a descendant of both Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, the enslaved Black woman with whom he had at least six children. by Gayle Jessup White On Sale: 11/16/2021 Format: Price: $14.99 DESK & EXAM REQUESTS PURCHASE AT HC.com Book Overview Author Info About the Book A Black descendant of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings' family explores America's racial reckoning through the prism of her ancestorsboth the enslaver and the enslaved. JESSUP WHITE: Well the person who told my sister this was a woman in the family called Aunt Peachie (ph). Her American roots are in Virginia going back to the Jamestown settlement, and in Maryland. Whites story is singular, yet somehow pervasive the most honest of American narratives. A Washington, DC native, Gayle and her family moved to Richmond in 2006. JESSUP WHITE: Oh, thank you so much, Michel. For Gayle Jessup White, landing the job of Public Relations and Community Engagement Officer at Thomas Jefferson's historic home, Monticello, was more than . Owning people is sinful. We cant become what we want to be, individually and collectively, if we dont know who we are. White, a Henrico County resident, and the public relations and community engagement officer at Monticello, describes her four-decade effort to reclaim her family heritage in her recently released book, Reclamation., Or as she wrote: It was always my goal to uncover my roots, to understand my familys place in American history, and to restore them to the nations narrative. They were treated as possessions. . "I couldn't put together in my 13-year-old mind how a little Black kid growing up in Washington, D.C. could be related to the third . She says, I recognize Jefferson now as being a human being. It was reported in the Richmond newspaper that Jefferson had relations with an enslaved woman, Dusky Sally, she was called. NPR's Michel Martin discussed the book with Jessup White, who describes herself as the five times great-granddaughter of Thomas Jefferson. Her discoveries there opened a window into who her ancestors were: overcomers who helped build America while being oppressed by slavery. Jessup White had long heard the stories passed down from her fathers family, It serves at a metaphor not just for my family, Gayle says, but for Black families in America to understand - and for all people to acknowledge - that our ancestors helped build this country. We have the documentary evidence because every time Jefferson returned home from being in Washington during his administration as president, Sally Hemings would have a baby nine months later. I work at giving attention to those who never had it. Growing up, she had heard that her African American family was somehow descended from Thomas Jefferson, but with limited records and tight-lipped relatives, there was no proof. Find out how she changed paths. (l-r) Andrew M. Davenport and Gayle Jessup White. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. Gayle recounts, Well I was shocked. The paradox, of course, is that the Founding Father who lyrically articulated Americas grandest expression of equality enslaved more than 600 human beings on his mountaintop plantation, Monticello. A Black descendent of Thomas Jefferson and employee at Monticello, author Gayle Jessup White examined the legacies of her ancestors and the current racial. That's why I'm at Monticello. Digital Audiobook Unabridged it was that one link. Days. [a] timely, relevant, and important book." So the point here is to acknowledge that these families were entangled. Aunt Peachie was given to old wives tales, but the one thing that my sister believed that she said repeatedly was that you're descended from Thomas Jefferson, she would say. God made it possible for you to know. Gayle would spend years following clues, tracing her family tree, and scouring historical records. It was just enough information out there to keep me aware of the possibility. He is currently a research assistant with the Georgetown Slavery Archive. Charlayne Hunter Gault, Armed with her newfound familial truth, the author . [supadu_silverpop isbn="9780063028678" authorid="52063" referenceid="52063" authorname="Gayle Jessup White" id="5" title="Author tab Form"]. White, Monticellos first public relations and community engagement officer, joins us to discuss her book Reclamation, which chronicles her remarkable journey to understand and reclaim her heritage as a Jefferson descendant. privacypolicy@harpercollins.com. What was the breakthrough in public acceptance of the fact that Thomas Jefferson - and now we're finding out that any number of Founding Fathers also had Black families. She attended the citys private and public schools and attended Howard University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications. Gayle Jessup White of Henrico County, a descendant of the Jefferson and Hemings families, and the PR and community engagement officer at Monticello, stands on Mulberry Row, the home's main. . The kitchen where Peter worked came to be one of Gayles favorite rooms at Monticello. She writes about it in a new book titled "Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, And A Descendant's Search For Her Family's Lasting Legacy." As a young woman in her native Washington gaining an increased awareness of race, being descended from Jefferson became a part of my identity. Details. And it's important to note as well that we know what happened at Monticello, but it wasn't unusual. communications Susan Fales-Hill, television producer and author ofAlways Wear Joy, Reclamationinstantly reverberates with those of us who are desperate to rebuild our family trees, especially for Americans who lived during the colonial era. Gayle Jessup White of Henrico County, a descendant of the Jefferson and Hemings families, and the PR and community engagement officer at Monticello, stands on Mulberry Row, the homes main plantation street. Getting Word has significantly changed the interpretation of African-American life during enslavement under Thomas Jefferson. JESSUP WHITE: I had some facts before me. Her international lineage is principally Nigerian and British. We, like many Americans, are sometimes unaware of those blind spots, and like our nation, we need to face them and change., Bowman called the book an important one for Monticello and for our country as we work to tell a more honest and complicated history of our past.. Our Facebook Live series, White House Biographer Jeffrey Frank discusses his new book on Harry Truman. Her journalist husband, Jack White, was teaching at Hampton University, so they landed in Richmond to ease the commute. Deputies in Davidson County rushed to help a 69-year-old man they'd found unresponsive in his house following a welfare check. communications at The man's famil. We are reconsidering how we remember the institution of slavery, and that includes the historical figures from that period. What are some unusual animals that have lived in and around the White House? In a real-life version of Roots,GayleJessupWhites compelling exploration of her family ties to Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings family demonstrates that Americas complex racial history is written in our DNA. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. "Reclamationis a quintessential American story that should be required reading for anyone who doesn't understand the true contributions of African-Americans to this nation and how vital our presence was and remains to the core principles of democracy and freedom." And that's the story I heard my sister share with my dad when I was a 13-year-old girl growing up in Washington, D.C. MICHEL MARTIN, BYLINE: So you had no knowledge of this until she brought it - how did she know about this? And she starts by explaining how she first learned about this possible connection. Facebook Live series, White House History Live, delves into the history of the If anything, Reclamation demonstrates how illusory and yes, paradoxical American identity can be. She is the author of the book, Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendants Search for Her Familys Lasting Legacy. Discover God's peace now. Join Because my story is their story, too.. Gayle Jessup White had long heard the stories passed down from . Can God change your life? And the whole room went into shock, she said. Skip to main content. Top Stories, 1073 North Benson Road I'm very comfortable with who I am and take complete ownership of my place in society and as a descendant of enslaved people. NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Gayle Jessup White about her book, Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendant's Search for Her Family's Lasting Legacy. It would behoove all of us to be as curious about our heritage as White. Gayle serves on Virginias Citizens Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion, where she is founding chair of the Descendant Committee. She left the Times for Northwestern Universitys Medill School of Journalism, earning a Master of Science in Journalism. She's a native Charlottean. For four decades, she researched familial connections to Jefferson, ultimately learning that she was not only a descendant of Jefferson on his fathers side but also the great-great-great-granddaughter of Peter Hemings, Sally Hemings brother. View the profiles of people named Gayle Jessup White. (203) 254-4000. Gayle Jessup White's multilayered autobiography, Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendant's Search for Her Family's Lasting Legacy, is divided into three parts.The first, most directly autobiographical part of Reclamation offers a fascinating look at Black life in a prosperous neighborhood in Washington, D.C., during the 1960s and '70sa neighborhood that has . When I'm in that space where I feel the presence of my ancestors. As she walks the grounds of Monticello, Gayle Jessup White tells the story of those who once lived there - the enslaver, Thomas Jefferson, who enslaved more than 600 people, and the enslaved families he forced to work there. It is my right and the right of every descendant of enslaved people to claim their stake in America.. Gayle Jessup White began her career at The New York Times and was an award-winning TV reporter before becoming Monticellos first community engagement officer in 2016. Gayle Jessup White is the author of the upcoming book, "Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendant's Search for Her Family's Lasting Legacy.". Our Her epic family legacy, interwoven with one of the nation's founding fathers, is an emotional trip back in time. Every family has its secrets and family lore, and often the inheritors of those stories can't separate fact from fiction. As Gayle followed her own leads, DNA research confirmed the long-told rumor that Jefferson had children with an enslaved woman named Sally Hemings. A former award-winning television reporter and anchor, Gayle started her career at the New York Times. Well, this would have been taboo back in the 1960s and early '70s. Send us comments about our Author Pages. Used under license. 69-year-old suffers stroke in his N.C. home; Realtor showing house leaves him there. Along the way, she learned more about her connections to Jefferson and Hemings through research and DNA testing, with an assist from Lucia Cinder Stanton, the groundbreaking Monticello historian who has published several books on the history of slavery there. Get more than a Sunday sermon. Thousands of Images covering the History of the White House, Official White House Ornaments, Books & More, White House History Live: Reclamation with Gayle Jessup White. We are here to help and encourage you! Follow to get new release updates, special offers (including promotional offers) and improved recommendations. And they were the only Blacks there. She says, For many years I assumed I was descended from Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. MARTIN: Why do you think it is that you - there was a part of you that always believed it and just had faith in it. It ended up being a good fit for us. Gayle Jessup White is a communications consultant, writer, and realtor. You could only hear the silver touching the china. BISAC1 : BISAC2 : BISAC3 : DESK & EXAM This doesnt make sense to me. All Daddy said to me was, That's what they say. "Shes a totally charming and frank memoirist, and I loved her candid, sometimes difficult to read story,"--Rumaan Alam, author of Leave the World Behind on the Best December 2021 Books Today Show. For four decades, she researched familial connections to Get daily or weekly highlights from The 700 Club delivered to your inbox. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Gayle Jessup White talks with Karen about her book, "Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendant's Search for Her Family's Lasting Legacy.. It was in 2016 that Gayle came on-staff at Monticello, educating the public about the legacy the good and the bad of one of Americas Founding Fathers. The backdrop for the early part of Whites story is Black, middle-class Washington. So there was no way that I could have pieces to the puzzle such as I did not and pursue it, not to want to put it together. Through her account, the author fleshes out many of the genealogical questions concerning Jefferson that have emerged in recent decades." White has written and spoken extensively about her work at Monticello and about her familys ties to Jefferson, his extended family, and the enslaved community. Back in 1998, there was a study called The Foster study which proved that the nephews of Jefferson whom the family had claimed had fathered children with Sally Hemings could not have been the father of her children. Gayle Jessup White tells the fascinating story in her new book, "Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendant's Search for Her Family's Lasting Legacy.". I can't imagine being anyplace else. That history is deeply personal to Gayle Jessup White. Audrey Edwards, author of American Runaway: Black and Free in Paris in the Trump Years, "Thanks to Gayle Jessup White who sometimes feels 'battle scarred after another day spent fighting for equal recognitionof Black Historythat for many is an afterthought.' What are some unusual animals that have lived in and around the White House? Get to know others seeking Gods guidance and wisdom for life. That's my job. Whites narrative is a metaphor for our nations contradictions and secrets some of her family members chose to pass as white. One relative is a historical figure in her own right. . Download the free myCBN app. MARTIN: I want to mention that you are now working at Monticello, which must be a kind of a head-snapping experience. Her international lineage is principally Nigerian and British. I don't apologize for my - the behavior of my ancestors. Its an American story.. Join us in learning more about White House History right from your own home. Gayle Jessup White is the Public Relations & Community Engagement Officer at Monticello, Thomas Jeffersons legendary estate. The Making of Presidents' and First Ladies' Portraits. Little pieces were coming together, but not enough for me to understand how we could have been descended. MARTIN: How do you reconcile for yourself those contradictions which live in you? Pastors Rooftop Mission to Save Chicagos Southside, Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendant's Search for Her Family's Lasting Legacy, Former NBC Exec on Overcoming Overwhelming Tragedy. For more information or to reserve your seat, visit www.quickcenter.com or call the Box Office at 203-254-4010, or toll free at 1-877-ARTS-396. A combination memoir, genealogy, and history by Gayle Jessup White reads fast as fiction unless you take time to absorb the impact slavery and family secrets have on American families, black or white. She is also a member the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society and serves on the Poplar Forest African American Advisory Group. After she was named a Jefferson Studies Fellow, Jessup White discovered her family lore was correct. that they were direct descendants of Thomas Jeffersonlore she firmly believed, And my sister, who's a very elegant woman, was at a dinner party with her husband. A former award-winning television reporter and anchor, Jessup White started her career at the New York Times. Time. which chronicles her remarkable journey to understand and reclaim her heritage It was a privilege and an honor to speak with you. She grew up hearing the lore that her family is descended from our countrys third president, Thomas Jefferson. Are you an author? So were really happy to be here., Having finished this book, she feels whole, gratified and moved by what she called a remarkable journey., The most amazing part for me has been getting the story told. Gayle Jessup White Author of "Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendant's Search for Her Family's Lasting Legacy," to be released by HarperCollins November 2021 Did any presidents live elsewhere during their administrations? [Her feats] required superhuman persistence. BookPage. Our Facebook Live series, White House History Live, delves into the history of the Executive Mansion as well as the stories of the people who lived and worked there. How had she heard this? Facebook gives people the. Leslie Greene Bowman, president of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, lauded White and Reclamation during a Nov. 16 book launch event at Monticello. A Black descendant of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings family explores Americas racial reckoning through the prism of her ancestorsboth the enslaver and the enslaved.Gayle Jessup White had long heard the stories passed down from her fathers family, that they were direct descendants of Thomas Jeffersonlore she firmly believed, though others did not. Please check your information and try again or call us at 1-800-759-0700. It also traces back to Sally Hemings, Jefferson's slave who . If you wish to report an issue or seek an accommodation, please let us know. But what I am committed to doing is to raise the visibility of those people who didn't have a voice. JESSUP WHITE: Frankly, I think it was DNA evidence. The McKnew family put her out and ours took her in. Gayle spent several years as a TV news reporter and anchor before becoming a public television producer and show host at her undergraduate alma mater, Howard.
