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1) The portrayal of Jefferson's alleged affair with Sally Hemings in novels, films, and other discourses demonstrates that the rhetoric of public memory, which preserves the relevance and utility of the past for audiences in the present, is often sustained, not by a transparent or even plausible understanding of former persons and events, but by profound and potentially irresolvable confusions over the relationship between what is commemorated and those doing the commemorating.
Bradford Vivian 285

2) I believe our class was not the intended audience for this film. Actually, that's an understatement. Anyone who has read and researched what we have would look at this video and go "Uhm . . . really?" By this point in the class, I have already formed an opinion of my own as to what happened between young Sally Hemings and Master Jefferson. And this was not it. I understand the pressures put on film makers to reach a certain audience. I take exception to anyone slapping a "True Story!" label on something like this. Sure, it makes it more marketable. It also makes it bullshit. As far as I am concerned, there is no way the Sally Hemings "scandal" played out the way it did in this film. Certainly there are moments of truth. I think Jefferson most likely did provide Sally with more than the average slave would have received. I believe some of the relationships in the film were accurately portrayed (I particularly liked the moments between Sally and her mother, which we have not really seen to this point). In answer to the question "What was Andrews' goal, and did she achieve it?" I would answer that her goal was to sell advertising space during her TV show and that, yes, I'm quite certain she achieved it well. I think she certainly had sub-goals. As one poster mentioned, getting people to see the people, and not the black and white, was certainly one such sub-goal. I think the film provides an interesting look at the time and the people. I think it gives us some excellent visuals. I do not think it portrays the relationship between Sally and Tom in an accurate light at all.
Greg King, Lehigh University

3) Maybe Hemings loved him because he loved her, because human beings fall in love. Given the context of the period, when slavery was simply the fabric of life, maybe that wasn't so hard to do.
DeNeen L. Brown

4) The very making of this miniseries is in and of itself an interesting examination of modern-day race relations. Here we have a black woman, Andrews, attempting to recreate on screen the inter-racial relationship of one of this nation's most revered politicians. Against her were the much-discussed Jefferson scholars, the old guard of experts, who were and are vehemently opposed to this story seeing the light of day. For fifteen years Andrews had to fight with mostly white male television executives in an attempt to win the right to produce her work. The craziest part of this is that each and every executive inevitably said no, until, that is, they returned hats in hand after the DNA test of 1998, at which point they all wanted a shot at producing this miniseries. To me this is decisive evidence that many older white gentlemen in positions of power in this country still want nothing to do with black women (especially not when the reputation of another old white male is concerned), unless they might be able to use them to turn a profit. I found the film itself to be far less compelling than Jefferson in Paris. I believe this stems primarily from the fact that Jefferson in Paris is an actual film rather than a made-for-TV production. The production value of JIP was vastly superior to that of SHAS, as was the directing. JIP stays true to its goal of portraying Hemings in a positive light without sacrificing its ability to incorporate more complex motifs into its runtime. SHAS also lost points with me for its rather timid portrayal of Jefferson. JIP was at least bold enough to step out there and portray him in a severely negative light (which, given what we know about their relationship, makes a good deal of sense for a movie focusing on said relationship).
Eric Edgerton, Lehigh University

5) The Sally Hemings they [writers and film-makers] create is a textual construct who "lives" through and on the pageâ€"or on the screenâ€"whose presence is regenerated as a historical source.
Sharon Monteith 38

6) There is little left to the imagination as to where Andrews stands in the debate. Just through the cinematography, it is obvious. It makes me think, too. I guess I am at the point at which I should be drawing my own conclusions, and I am thinking that the picture I would paint would be less romantic than this one. From the giggling in bed and kisses even while "on the job," Andrews is not only asserting that the relationship was real but that it was something out of a Shakespeare tragedy. All I can say is "yeah, right." I mean, come on, is this even remotely realistic? Given what we know about Jefferson's old-fashioned view of the black human, it is ridiculous that the relationship would have taken this form, at least to me. I know this is not our first encounter with a picture of romance and not just a release for human lust and control, but it just doesn't follow logically to me. So I guess my puzzlement at this interpretation does help me in a way. I can now say that while I have no reason anymore to doubt a possible relationship, I find it terribly hard to believe that it took this storybook form. There may have been respect and mutual lust, but the possibility of Jefferson loving Hemings and begging her to return with him does not ring any bells. It seems more realistic that any benefit she did gain was a result of guilt or a desire to keep the affair hidden. There is no real reason to think the affair took any romantic turns, at least for Jefferson. It makes sense that a slave could feel differently about a master taking a liking to her, especially one who was only fifteen at the time the relationship was thought to have started. It just doesn't fit with the times or with the background that it would have looked anything like it does in the movie. Call me a cynic, but I would say that while this picture may appeal to the hearts of more people and does look a bit better than a master exacting his power and influence over a slave in a moment of loneliness and lust, it is not very realistic and doesn't change my opinion of the scandal.
Anonymous , Lehigh University

7) Romantic conventions elevate Hemings to the status of an idealistic political agent and pardon Jefferson's hypocrisy, for if she forgave him -- indeed, continued to love and honor him for the rest of his life -- then why can't we? The oral history of the Hemings family is poignant testimony to the persuasive power of romance in this case.
Bradford Vivian 292

8) Tina Andrews' miniseries strives to bring Sally to life and, by doing so, raise the African-American awareness in the Jefferson-Hemings controversy. The first two hours present an articulate, intelligent, spunky, fearless, and gorgeous young woman that both black and white men cannot ignore. Andrews' desire to portray a complicated, evolving character resonates throughout her story. Her objective is to present intelligence, passion, and compassion beautifully wrapped in black skin, thus coaxing viewers and, perhaps, society that that portrayal is genuine, palpable, and attainable. Sally has goals, makes decisions, and acts on those decisions in order to fulfill her goals. For example, Sally possesses the confidence and intelligence to argue with Jefferson about slavery, quoting and using his words against him. Jefferson's character is keenly aware of her ability to be his equal, and yet he chooses to keep her in a subservient existence. The tension that Andrews' creates for both white and black viewers impels us to look inward and then outward. Do we carry baggage that might be Jefferson's or Hemings'? Risking her own freedom and life, the intrepid Sally teaches her fellow slaves to read and write, helps them escape to freedom, and presents herself as a formidable opponent to Martha, whose desire to embody the steadfast matriarch of the Jefferson legacy can drive a wedge between Sally and Jefferson. As we have found no evidence to support these choices, I can only say that they are a collective effort on Andrews' part to have both blacks and whites see people, not color. It works. Combine that with her ability to slap us with the cruel realities of slavery, and we sting with a consciousness that really makes us uncomfortable. Again, Andrews' purpose, and it does sting like a whip. Haid directs Sally's character to portray a woman completely in love with Jefferson, someone willing to sacrifice her freedom to be with him. However, Andrews works more to assert that Sally deserves Jefferson's respect -- that elusive recognition that plagued James Hemings his entire life.
Teresa Salvatore, Lehigh University

9) [In Sally Hemings: An American Scandal] Sally Hemings is attributed with historical agency and can be a solver of moral problems; she is granted an aesthetic freedom that speaks directly to the limitations of American democracy and its avoidance of moral responsibility in creating racial aliens instead of citizens of the republic.
Sharon Monteith 41

10) It was really, really strange to see such very white slaves -- "That's a Hemings--she's a slave you imbecile" (or something like that). I can totally understand why William fell for Harriet, though, she did not look like a slave at all. Nor did Beverly--red, red hair and pale, pale skin. This movie/series/whatever was an interesting compilation. The general storyline made sense to me and didn't seem to stray too, too much from what we know (or at least what people have speculated), but some things seemed like glaring diversions from fact, like when Martha sells Sally or when Sally is whipped for escaping. I don't recall reading anything about either of those episodes (although we did read something about a woman who was reputed to be Jefferson's daughter, escaping and being hunted by slave-hunters). Anyway, I'm not entirely sure what Andrews' goal was in this movie. I think she illustrated the significance of race in the period, time, and place, especially with the whiteness of Sally's children. The whiteness of the actors/actresses playing slaves really does a lot to skew typical slavery stereotypes and to educate the general public as to who actually comprised plantation slaves. I think she tried to show Sally's own significance in Jefferson's life, and her struggles with the master/slave relationship versus their affection (or whatever dynamic they really had) for each other. Giving Sally a face, personality, emotions does a lot to increase belief in the probability of their relationship, and I'm sure many people took their relationship as fact after seeing this. I thought the scenes with Martha, Callender, and Aaron Burr (that was who that was, right?) are probably pretty accurate, but, then again, don't we have much, much more documentation of their personalities and conduct? Anyone who makes any attempt at portraying Sally Hemings has license to do virtually whatever he/she wants; there's so little really known about Sally Hemings that accuracy is probably impossible to achieve.
Anonymous , Lehigh University

11) The refractions of Jefferson's original likeness, the phantoms of rumor, the portraits of Jefferson's other, are reflections of ourselves.
Bradford Vivian 299

12) Andrews succeeded greatly in making Sally Hemings and the slave characters the strongest in the film. I doubt that their relationship panned out exactly like that, but, who knows, maybe their love could have been that real and, most importantly on Sally's part, that forgiving. The movie itself is very romanticized and really portrays Sally as a woman on the same level intellectually and physically as her white female aristocratic counterparts except for the color of her skin. The movie itself was entertaining to watch and what Andrews really got across to me is the message that the relationship between Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson shouldn't always be cast in a negative light but that it could also be an example that, no matter what one race thinks it has the power to dictate, in love we are all equals. This movie illustrated how love has no boundaries and how the love (not status or relationship) between Hemings and Jefferson walked alongside his words of declaration. Mostly, for me, it illustrated how the hypocrisy of Jefferson's actions is not what America was built upon but, rather, the very integration of everything they were separately is what America has been built towards. This movie strongly portrayed Hemings as the "silent catalyst" for the cause of freedom and really highlights the positives rather than the negatives of their relationship.
Ruslana Makarenko, Lehigh University

13) Although we may never know the nature of whatever feelings existed between Jefferson and Hemings, contemporary discourse about their relationship is driven by a persistent desire to explore the possibility of mutual affection. If Jefferson and Hemings are imagined to have borne a deep fondness for one another, especially over a period of thirty-eight years, the memory of their relationship acquires the mystique of romance.
Bradford Vivian 289

14) This miniseries needed to begin with the Law and Order disclaimer: "Although inspired in part by a true incident, the following story is fictional and does not depict any actual person or event." One thing that has become abundantly clear through our studies in this course is that virtually nothing is known about the life of Sally Hemings. Born; inherited by Thomas Jefferson; traveled to France and returned to Monticello; gave birth to seven children, five of whom lived to adulthood; died. Everything else is a combination of very little first-hand observation, hearsay, deduction, extrapolation, supposition, educated guesswork, and uneducated guesswork. The individual, the human being, is lost to history and the memory of her name has become a vessel for conveying agendas. The film is a fantasia on the theme of the Jefferson/Hemings legend. If anything the film depicts comes close to the way any event actually occurred, it must be purely coincidence. The film is an effort to claim and assert Sally's intrepidity, her willingness to risk in the cause of freedom, her superiority in intellect, in beauty, and in the heart of the Great Jefferson over the wicked step-sister, Martha, as a way of changing how African-Americans' place in this part of our history is viewed.
Anonymous , Lehigh University

15) If Hemings was the most talked about woman in America for a time, she was not an American; she was not freed until after her master's death.
Sharon Monteith 32

16) First was the portrayal of Sally Hemings. I thought this version of Sally was more realistic, because not only did she understand her place as a slave, but was motivated by her family and her studies rather than youthful lust. I appreciated how Sally aged and changed during the film, and how she developed an attitude towards slavery founded by her education and the materials she was able to read because of it.
Sarah Freeman, Lehigh University

17) If the vision of Jefferson and Hemings as tragic lovers satisfies a contemporary desire to humanize and cleanse the memory of Jefferson, then this same romantic discourse also facilitates a reciprocal desire to rescue Hemings from historical caricature and racist stereotype.
Bradford Vivian 290

18) A popular sentiment among viewers is that the relationship between TJ and Sally was certainly romanticized and exaggerated. And so, while it's interesting to see a depiction of this relationship in a bolder sense than any other portrayal, the fact that it is indeed SO bold is perhaps a disservice to the overall message that the director was trying to convey. Could their relationship have been as mutually romantic? Perhaps, but the fact that it is enacted in such an extreme way as is done here actually has an adverse effect on that message. After watching this, viewers may be more inclined to simply dismiss altogether the idea of a mutually romantic relationship because of the extreme extent to which it is suggested in the film. So in a sense, this progressive attempt to shed light on a new element of their relationship may in effect be a step backwards.
Brian Cohen, Lehigh University

19) It is clear that Sally Hemings is an audacious and controversial figure as deployed across a range of cultural productions, not least when her presence serves to point up the glaring contradictions that made this "First Lady" an alien in Americaâ€"a non-citizen in the Republic.
Sharon Monteith 33

20) What seems ironic to me is that the more Sally is depicted as extraordinary, the more sense Jefferson's choices and positions, both in regard to Sally and his other slaves, seem to make. Looking at this film, no wonder he singled her out. For Andrews to make her film speak to the hypocrisies of Jefferson and the injustices of slavery, shouldn't Sally be just a bit more ordinary? By turning it into Cinderella, I'm not sure anyone's interests are really served.
Anonymous , Lehigh University

21) The ethos of DNA tests thus lent a factual status to the entire miniseries, including the lush and tragic romance between Jefferson and Hemings. Ostensibly certified by the authority of science, Sally Hemings: An American Scandal represents the boldest articulation yet of a sympathetic portrait of Hemings in public memory.
Bradford Vivian 291

22) Overall, I really enjoyed this version of the story. I appreciated the power Andrews gave Sally and felt that she portrayed Sally in a legitimate, believable way. It felt as if this Sally was more along the lines of Fawn Brodie's idea of Sally. My approval of this story may partially stem from my desire to see this as a love story with an empowered woman capable of challenging Jefferson rather than acting like an ignorant, submissive slave, but something Andrews said in her interview also caught my attention. She said that, based on accounts saying that Jefferson tutored Sally alongside his children, she was exposed and taught by his intellectual methods. Some of this must have rubbed off on her, enabling her to challenge him in the ways she does in the movie. Another thing that caught my attention during the movie was Sally's conversation with Mrs. Madison in Washington, where Mrs. Madison describes them as equals, sharing the same restrictions and lack of power as women, regardless of their color. Despite their limitations, both Mrs. Madison and Sally still find ways to exercise power and act in representation of their beliefs. Though Sally is silent through historical record and documentation, that doesn't mean she was silent behind the closed doors of Monticello. I find it hard to believe that, as a Monticello house slave who was constantly in the company of important, influential people, Sally was completely unaware of Jefferson's political positions and writing pieces. It is completely plausible that, as Andrews says in her interview, she suffers an internal struggle between her love for Jefferson and her desire to see the abolishment of slavery. This smart, savvy, influential Sally is compelling and believable to me.
Katie Prosswimmer, Lehigh University

23) Historically contingent, Sally Hemings is nothing if she is not read as a key figure in exposing the history of racial and sexual relations in the United States.
Sharon Monteith 44

24) There were a few things that really stood out to me as discrepancies from previous accounts and viewpoints. One was the power struggle and relationship of Sally and Martha. This angle definitely took the most hostile side we've seen thus far, with Martha not only vying for Jefferson's love and approval, but having feelings of intense hostility towards Sally as the series progresses. I thought it was particularly interesting that it came down to Jefferson having to pick sides between the two; when Martha kicks Sally out against Jefferson's orders, and Sally addresses Jefferson about it, Jefferson without hesitation claims that Sally will never happen again and sends a letter to Martha about it.
Samantha Feinberg, Lehigh University

25) The breach between romance and horror in the modern memory of Jefferson may be slight indeed.
Bradford Vivian 295

26) It was easy to tell the difference in view between this movie and Jefferson in Paris. Basically the exact same story is told, yet we come away from the film with a totally different feeling. It is obvious that Andrews wanted Sally to be a strong character and to tell the story from an African American point of view. We see some of the strongest characters in the slaves, especially James, Sally's mother, and the slave that is in love with Sally. Although the film was fairly successful in its agenda, it was unfortunately directed like a Hollywood chick-flick. It really felt like there was a clash of ideas and the writer and director made compromises. In the last third of the film, when Jefferson is old, it kind of disturbed me to see how happy Sally and her master were together. There was basically no conflict between them, and they acted like a couple, something that I find to be extremely unlikely. To me, it was like Sally had given in and accepted the fact that it was her place to be a slave. Overall, Andrews got her point across through Sally's arguments with Jefferson. Unfortunately, this turned Jefferson into a timid hypocrite.
Anonymous , Lehigh University

27) However, it is the interrelationship of history and fiction that is in many ways the key to continued interest in the controversy since it hits at the heart of the debate about how fictionalised history inevitably is and how historicised fiction can be.
Sharon Monteith 35

28) When comparing this movie with Jefferson in Paris, I would say that the director made a great deal of assumptions about the relationship. Not only does the movie portray Sally in a romantic relationship with a slave, it also assumes many of Sally's personality traits and the relationship she had with Jefferson. Although I don't necessarily think that it portrays a completely valid view of their relationship, I can't help but realize that the two movies that we have seen are what really gives the story life to me. Regardless of whether or not the story is accurate, it helps me give Sally more of a voice. She shows great strength in this film and it allowed me to see what kind of issues she probably faced while trying to be a slave in this relationship with her master. What I also thought was interesting in the movie was the contrast between Sally's relationship with Jefferson and that of the relationship that Sally's sister has with the white man. It really makes the Jefferson Hemings relationship seem the opposite of rape and really a loving relationship. Sally would never forcibly make herself unable to have children, and she never is raped or in a situation in which she is really taken advantage of when with Jefferson. I thought that really made the relationship seem so much more romantic. I really am glad we got to see this view of the relationship.
Abigail Harris-Shea, Lehigh University

29) The romantic rendering of Hemings is defined by what we desire her to have done or to have been rather than what she actually did or who she actually was. As such, this romantic discourse deadens consideration of the profound sexual and racial inequities that would have existed between Jefferson and his slave. . . . Far from ennobling memory of Hemings by having her study Common Sense and Notes on Virginia, the conventions of modern romance merely facilitate the latest perversion of her existence.
Bradford Vivian 293

30) What also interested me about Andrew's film was the fact that it seemed to supersede just the Jefferson/Hemings relationship at times. I feel like it was occasionally intended to be a representation of elements of slave life at large. For instance, the character of Henry and his passionate hatred for slavery was, I think, realistic of the fact that not all slaves led such relatively comfortable or content lives as many of those on the Monticello plantation. Similarly, the scene with Sally being beat seems to exist to remind viewers of the horrors of slavery -- it wasn't all romance and fancy dresses. Given that there is no evidence that either of these events actually happened in Sally or Jefferson's life, I think Andrews employs them creatively to advance her own film-maker's desires.
Mary O'Reilly, Lehigh University

31) There he is on screen, one of the founding fathers of this country, the architect of Monticello, the inventor, the political genius, the advocate of democracy, the racist, the man who wrote that all men are created equal, and that black people are intellectually inferior. There is the same man, passionately kissing a beautiful mocha-colored woman.
DeNeen L. Brown

32) I can't talk about that film without getting really, really frustrated . . . but I finally figured out why I dislike it so much. I would have MUCH preferred that Andrews allowed the racial commentary to come from the romance between TJ and SH alone. Let their love do the talking. Let their love break the racial boundaries. Jabs and the atristic liberties she took were not necessary. GRRRR! Also - she said she wanted Sally to be the voice of 1000s of slaves. SH was so priveleged. How is that being fair to the thousands upon thousands of slave who were not as lucky as SH? GRRRRR!
Stephanie DeLuca, Lehigh University

33) How is it possible for us to remember such historical ephemera, to remember what we may have never known in the first place?
Bradford Vivian 298

34) Thomas Jefferson still stuck me as a creepy old man, but that is likely due to the nature of the relationship not the actor himself. I wish that Jefferson had been more consistent of his views; he seems to have conflicting opinions at times about slavery and his relationship with Sally.
Sarah Freeman, Lehigh University

35) This love story [Sally Hemings: An American Scandal] works as an allegory of America that shows how intimately democracy and political equality have been intertwined with slavery and citizenship.
Sharon Monteith 35

36) I have to admit that I truly enjoyed this movie. The romance, the drama, the forbidden love . . . this adds up to make a pretty awesome three-hour segment. That being said, I have to admit that the truth was exaggerated. What strikes me, however, is the desire to portray this as a "true story." Even the box declares this is factual, and I think people could be easily deceived into buying the entire plot and taking it as fact. So, while I enjoyed the movie at face-value, I would not consider it a means to base the relationship on (although I wish I could). A part of the movie I thought was factual was the portrayal of Sally being right in the middle of multiple scenarios. In a dichotomous environment (white-black, slave-free, educated-uneducated, single-in a relationship), Sally blurs all these lines. She's black, but she can appear white. She's a slave, but her family is accused of tending the home while other slaves do the rougher work. She receives some sort of education in France, although contrary to the movie, I don't believe it would be enough to teach others to read and write. She sleeps with Jefferson, but she can never sit at a table with him or be with him publicly. Sally is in this middle ground, and I think the movie depicted how lonely and scary that place can be.
Elizabeth Guzzo, Lehigh University

37) She was just an invisible person, but she must have been a remarkable woman to capture such a genius as Thomas Jefferson and have his devotion for 38 years. It is so wonderful that people will now learn who she was.
Hemings descendant Julia Westerinen, qtd. in "Connecting the Dots"

38) I very much appreciated Andrews' decision to include Henry in this version of the Jefferson-Hemings story. Granted, we have very little if any proof that Sally would have had a relationship with another man, however, I believe that his inclusion is noteworthy. To me, Henry embodied everything that Sally's life should have been had she not been caught in the web of Jefferson. It is quite realistic that she and Henry had feelings for each other prior to her moving to Paris, and it is not unreasonable for Andrews to claim that Henry was so "blindly devoted" to Sally. In fact, I don't believe that it was blind devotion. I feel that Henry fell in love with the Sally that existed before the fine experiences of France. Whereas TJ didn't fall for her until he began "mentoring" her (presuming, as Andrews does, that he was actually in love with her), Henry was attracted to the simple, slave woman that Sally was before her expedition. Further, I believe that Henry wanted desperately to "save" Sally from the white society into which she was seemingly falling. I do not think his desire to hold her within the slave community was out of jealousy, per say. In other words, I don't think he wanted to take her from Jefferson so that she could continue to suffer like the rest of her slave community. I think his intentions were to save her from being roped into a potentially manipulative master-slave relationship. Obviously, Andrews' objective was to portray a loving, passionate relationship between Sally and Tom, so it's possible that she included Henry to address the other side of the argument. Sally's resistance to him proves that her heart was Jefferson's and other suitors did not catch her eye. This gives weight to the idea that Sally was in love with TJ. Lastly, and the most important reason for me liking the character of Henry, was that he allowed me to imagine a scenario in which Sally did actually have feelings for another man other than Jefferson. Now, her relationship with a slave man would have been much less refined and lacking in the finer things that her relations with Jefferson provided, still, it can be argued that a connection with a black slave man would have been, quite frankly, easier and thus, more appealing to Sally. What if Sally was actually in love with Henry, yet bearing the child of her white master? That is not to say that her relations with Jefferson were forced, but what if, upon arriving back at Monticello, Sally remembered that she was once again a bound woman and regretted her decision to sleep with Jefferson? Could it have been that Sally felt a stronger connection to Henry but was stuck with TJ because of her children? Andrews portrayed Sally having very little romantic interest in Henry, so all of this is just my imagination, but this apparent love triangle is extremely fascinating to me.
Erica Prosser, Lehigh University

39) Somewhere along the way, as history was boiled down and cleansed to fit the textbooks, the relationships between blacks and whites got stripped down to only the ugliest of forms. Somehow the idea got lost that perhaps black people and white people were capable of loving each other long before the emancipation and civil rights.
DeNeen L. Brown

40) Regardless of the historical inaccuracies, I did like how Sally was depicted as having some power in the relationship, and as a strong woman. When the Callendar scandal was going on, I loved how she said to Jefferson that their oldest son, Tom, was "leaving, and I am allowing it, and you will not stop him." I also liked how the series addressed Jefferson's racist writings in "Notes on the State of Virginia," and how Sally used that against him. I found it interesting that he said that he wrote it some years ago and no longer felt that way, when it was in his younger years that he so heavily pursued the emancipation of slaves.
Samantha Feinberg, Lehigh University

41) This movie's take on Thomas Jefferson is epitomized by multiple scenes in which he returns from a long journey to be greeted by his many slaves. It seems as though everyone has gathered out of sheer joy and love for Jefferson, cheering and applauding as though he has returned with some great gift for them. I doubt their reaction would have been much different had he returned and announced he was freeing them all. Although he treats the slaves with manners comparable to those he shows to his acquaintances of like standing, he always maintains a conscious detachment from them. This is evident in the scene in which Sally's mother shows Jefferson the quilt she made of their family (on which is Jefferson, the father of two of Sally's children at the time the quilt was made). Jefferson gives the quilt's maker a passing nod as he leads the children away to show them his latest invention. The next shot hovers above Jefferson, who is sitting in his swivel chair. The camera is angled straight downward as a group of slave children skip as they spin the chair around. These scenes of Jefferson as a sort of revered benefactor sharply contrast his detachment from facing the real issue of slavery.
Anonymous , Lehigh University

42) Sally was "too young and vulnerable" to love Jefferson. However, he didn't find her "too young and vulnerable" to sleep with. I know we have talked about age a lot and how we can't put present-day standards on this issue. I think that in this movie the "too young" excuse for not returning love to Sally is Jefferson's excuse and his way to keep his distance from slaves.
Elaina Kelly, Lehigh University

43) Historians agree Jefferson was a man pained by his guilty conscience, owing to his participation in slavery and simultaneous objection to the practice. He truly believed in universal liberty. Still, a man who's a better father to his country than his own children loses a lot of credibility. I would rather be imprisoned for debt than sell slaves that I have for so long treated as equals, only to throw them back into bowels of forced servitude. Although in reality Jefferson did not live to see his slaves sold and worked until his death to pay off his debt so they could be freed, it was interesting to see the director force the so-called abolitionist to face his guilt, a guilt which he probably dealt internally his entire life.
Adam Kaufman, Lehigh University

44) This mini-series was a nice contrast to Jefferson in Paris. I appreciated the larger scope of the plot, which gave the characters plenty of time to develop in a seemingly natural way. It was also nice to have a less-creepy Jefferson played by Sam Neil (who isn't even American, according to the reviews), not to mention a more mature Sally as opposed to the incredibly childish one. Her maturity and high-intellect supported the reasons for her being chosen to go to Paris, which was illustrated very well, as was the point that Sally and Jefferson had plenty of time to spend together while there, especially once the girls went to boarding school. Though Sally was the seducer, the scene in this film was far more believable than Jefferson in Paris. Perhaps it was because Sally seemed less like a child. Regardless, one of the reviews on Reel American History pointed out that Sally fell into the category of "smart woman, foolish choices." I thought this hit it right on the head. Sure, she was smart. But she was also incredibly foolish. Then again, if she were in love, maybe this is believable. If she wasn't and there was no romance, then she was more likely abused and raped and had no choices whatsoever.
Kristen Dalton, Lehigh University

45) Although the film does not gloss over the cruelties and injustices of slavery (particularly in the scenes in which it alludes to the rape of slave women by white men and depicts the hunting for and hanging of rebellious slaves), it does everything it can to dissociate Jefferson from being an active participant in perpetuating the institution of slavery. Although Jefferson owns slaves, he is portrayed as a benevolent master whom his slaves--whom he refers to as "servants"--adore. Far from portraying life in the slave quarters and on the plantation fields of Monticello in a negative way, the film depicts slave life in Monticello in an almost idyllic manner. The Monticello estate is therefore portrayed as a place of serenity and happiness--a place of refuge from the cruelties of the world outside.
Krystal Kaai, Lehigh University

46) I do think parts of this depiction were potentially realistic. I think the powerful hold Sally had over Jefferson was not entirely impossible. Considering that he obviously had powerful and lasting feelings for her to be in such a long relationship, I do think she would have had some sway over both his actions (or at least emotions) as well as the household. But I do think this is at times at least a little exaggerated. For example, she often times not only sees herself as being equal to Martha, but actually superior. I feel like this would be an unlikely dynamic between the two, if only because of Sally's perilous position in the social strata of the time.
Mary O'Reilly, Lehigh University

47) Before this film I had an idealistic image of Thomas Jefferson. What I knew about him is that he was strongly against slavery, married to his slave, had children, and treated his slaves in a respectful way. What I saw in this movie, however, was different: what is left in my mind after this film about Jefferson and slavery is "Not enough," -- meaning he didn't try hard enough to change the situation, he didn't love Sally enough to make her his wife, he didn't care about his children enough to make them free. I'm not sure if is true historically, but this film gave me the image of Jefferson as a man who knows how to speak but lacks strength and courage to implement his words in life. There was this amazing scene where the director alternated shots of Sally suffering after being severely beaten and Jefferson signing the papers for the Louisiana Purchase. It was a key scene for me that defined Jefferson's attitude towards slavery: he was against it, but not enough to really challenge the society in which he lived.
Anonymous , Lehigh University

48) I was really surprised when watching this video. Yes, I fully expected to see a more empowered version of the Sally we've come accustomed to; however, the Sally we were presented with in the film is in my opinion unrealistic. Sally dances with Thomas Paine in France, she has a lively discussion with Jefferson about the Declaration of Independence, and she confronts Jefferson about some of his more controversial writings. Putting aside the fact that Sally's actual knowledge of these documents was stretched, I think it is pretty safe to say the amount of control Sally had in these situations was also exaggerated. I don't think Sally would've randomly interviewed Jefferson on his views on slavery when they were alone. It is one thing to somehow demonstrate that Sally was thinking about these issues, because I don't disagree that she potentially could've been having some of these thoughts, but the way that she takes the lead in pursuing answers is a whole different story.
Kimbrilee Weber, Lehigh University

49) The power Sally held as a slave was extraordinary. In contrast to the power Sally held, it was interesting, that her children, who were depicted as very much white, held almost no power. This was extremely striking with the contrast between Sally and her daughter Harriet. When Sally wore the lilac dress in Paris, she was treated fairly. But when Harriet wore the dress and then tried to pass as nobility, she was dismissed, despite the paleness of her skin which should have given her the upper hand.
Haydn Galloway, Lehigh University

50) This film fits perfectly chronologically. This was definitely a jab back to those who had been denying the relationship to this point. I imagine the supporters of the relationship to be thinking "Yes this happened. And it quite possibly happened like this. So deal with it." The group who has always been on the defense has finally switched to the offense, and this film is a great way to assert the likely validity of the relationship. I think that the Carr brothers probably played a more prominent role in this film in some ways because of the new release of the DNA. They were thrust into the action, and so it made sense to give them a more important role in the film.
Anonymous , Lehigh University

51) I thought Martha was the most annoying character in the film. All the poor girl did was cry, and I would expect more from a girl raised by an influential and educated family.
Sarah Freeman, Lehigh University

52) Anything is possible --but this? Really? Andrews did a good job shying away from the political complications of the third president in order to put more of a focus onto the relationship between Jefferson and Hemings. I really appreciate that. She crafted this romantic fantasy with a historical setting in attempt to empower Sally and highlight the strengths of the African-American woman. I'm all about feminism and giving power to women. I completely support the movie's purpose but the product is no reflection of its intention. What struck me the most was the development of their relationship -- first intellectual, then physical. Jefferson and Sally's physical affection comes after both connect on an intellectual level. This is set up to refute critics' opinions that the Jefferson and Hemings' relationship was based on physical attraction alone, much in the way that Chase-Riboud also handles their first physical interactions. Jefferson dismisses the slave-master relationship within their first interaction and acknowledges her intelligence by the second, confiding in her and admitting that she has "a mind worth mentoring." By the third interaction he is caught admiring her beauty, but it is the fourth and fifth meeting that are the most striking. It is at this point that Sally questions the basis of the Declaration of Independence, when she quotes Jefferson's words: "We hold these Truths to be self-evident: that all Men are created equal". Sally questions if a slave is not a person and Jefferson the blunderer shuffles away. Really? What strikes me as unusual, however, is the fact that I really appreciate the liberties taken in Chase-Riboud's novel -- but Andrews account really irritates me. I'm still trying to put a finger on why that is. If only there could be a balance between the previous film and this one, I'd be set.
Stephanie DeLuca, Lehigh University

53) Overall, the term "stunning mulatto" stuck with me throughout my viewing of the film. Thomas Paine calls Sally this name when they are in Paris. The portrayal of Sally could be summed up with this nickname --Sally is truly beautiful, intelligent, and wonderful in the film. Although I was skeptical while watching, I could not help but to be transfixed on Sally's strong presence and happiness, despite her situation and the struggles she endures. This spirit is truly stunning.
Kimbrilee Weber, Lehigh University

54) I could not have disliked this movie more and honestly found many parts of it to be offensive. For example, the first sex scene between Jefferson and Hemings is so completely unrealistic. He walks in and somehow she is completely aware of what he desires. She walks over to the bench and takes off her nightgown as she moves. What girl, 14-15 year old girl, is that comfortable with her sexuality? This keeps in line with the racial stereotype that black people are hyper-sexualized beings. It surprises me that a black woman wrote the film after watching this scene. There are ways of constructing their first time that conveys both parties enjoyed it without a young virgin somehow giving that "come hither stare."
Morgan Christopher, Lehigh University

55) Despite the artistic liberties that make this historically pretty inaccurate, the portrayal of the raw relationship between Hemings and Jefferson is believable. There are moments in which though she does seem to have power, he asserts that he owns her and that she belongs to him. This definitely makes it more realistic to me, and kind of how I pictured the whole thing between them happening. It also helped me to think it was possible that they could have had a sexual and romantic relationship that Andrews added, in the beginning, that Sally was already involved with someone else, so it helped me view her as being more mature.
Samantha Feinberg, Lehigh University

56) I was astonished by the flamboyant portrayal of Sally and TJ's relationship. Not only is their relationship in the open, but Sally has an extremely bold attitude whenever she is confronted about it. I felt that she was not portrayed as a child but as a confident and powerful mistress. The part that was specifically shocking was when Sally ventured to Washington to speak to Jefferson about her poor treatment at Monticello. I would imagine a slave would not dare travel to Washington to find Jefferson and complain about how she was being treated. But Sally not only does this, she defiantly confronts Martha and backhandedly threatens her with Callender's business card. Also, I feel the director took so many liberties with the plot to make the series more exciting. The voodoo-type scene was so out of place and unbelievable. I felt this way about many of the dramatic parts. Her scene when she was naked and tied up only made me dislike the movie, and I felt that the truth was so exaggerated that I found myself not taking the plot seriously.
Caroline Nype, Lehigh University

57) I find it interesting that this movie would depict the slave like at Monticello so positively. In the beginning they said they are not even referred to as slaves. Also, throughout Jefferson is seen as someone who truly is against slavery, which is usually questioned. Jefferson is so much kinder and respect Sally much more in this film than in the previous one, which also lends viewers to the idea that Jefferson really was anti-slavery.
Elaina Kelly, Lehigh University

58) I agreed with most of the reviews that said this was a soap opera or that some of the scenery could be put on a dirty paperback romance novel. It's so bad, its good. Like Rebecca Black. And we will spend forever trying to figure it all out.
Kristen Dalton, Lehigh University

59) I definitely found myself preferring this representation of Sally and Jefferson's relationship far more than the one we see in "Jefferson in Paris." While I think parts of it were definitely unrealistic, I appreciated Andrew's attempt to depict their entire relationship -- not just the scandalous and sexual beginnings seen in Paris. What I found most interesting about this representation of the film is that Andrews really depicts a sort of companionship and friendship between Hemings and Jefferson. While there are obvious moments of passion in both a sexual and emotional sense, I feel like this representation is one of few that actually looks past the simple fact that the two were lovers. The trouble with this, however, is that it also becomes quickly fictitious. Since we know nothing of their relationship beyond the fact that they slept together, all matters concerning their dynamic or their arguments or their happiness are complete conjecture. While I found seeing it all acted out until the very end of their relationship gratifying, I also had to keep reminding myself that there was no certainty that this was really the way their relationship was. I feel like part of me is waiting for a revelation of tangible proof revealing the nature of their relationship much like we've been granted tangible proof about the sheer existence of their relationship.
Mary O'Reilly, Lehigh University

60) Sally in Jefferson in Paris seems slightly absurd and outspoken, but the film does a nice job of reminding us of how young Sally was when her relationship with TJ started. I consistently was reminding myself that Sally was quite possibly not the mature adult that seems to be pictured in Tina Andrews' version. I remember watching this film last year and asking myself, "Wait a second, how old was she when this affair began again...?" Perhaps the one scene that troubles me the most is Sally's excursion to the White House to argue on behalf of herself for her freedom. The film does a nice job of showing us how well educated Sally has become, but this seems a bit over the top in my opinion. It just does not seem plausible that a slave would first risk the dangers of traveling away from home, let alone take the initiative to travel all that way to chastise and question her master. Despite how I feel about this, she does have quite the surprising and entertaining entrance. Her sense of agency is endearing but not realistic. Then again, we are supposed to buy into the fact that they had a loving relationship, right? However, I did enjoy watching this film more than Jefferson in Paris however. I found myself wanting to believe in the romantic relationship between the two characters. But then I remind myself that these are characters, playing a role in a film being directed by someone with an agenda
Alexandra Neumann, Lehigh University

61) I found the portrayal of the beginnings of Jefferson and Sally's relationship to be quite intriguing. Jefferson seems to treat Sally as a child at this moment: she seems fearful of him, he calls her "child," and he attempts to be teaching her like a child when he asks, "Do you know what a mentor is?" This question was interesting because it also seemed to foreshadow the intellectual "mentorship" that Jefferson participates in through teaching Sally. This first interaction shows that this will probably happen. Further, I found Jefferson's quote "You look exactly like my wife. The resemblance is uncanny," to be quite intriguing. I think this quote, as in the previous quote, serves to foreshadow what is likely to happen later on. Obviously, we are to assume Jefferson found his wife attractive, which allows the deduction of the fact that Jefferson is effectively admitting to finding Sally attractive. The roundabout way he must take this approach could be symbolic of the fact that he had to take roundabout ways on many things in life (such as his views on slavery).
Kimbrilee Weber, Lehigh University

62) Part of me wants to believe that this Sally Hemings was an accurate portrayal of the real mistress of Monticello, and yet there is another, larger, part of me that understands the agenda that underlies the script. Andrews, admittedly, seemed to want to see Sally as a powerful, well-educated slave and as someone that the rest of the slaves looked up to for guidance. When we first started working on this project I genuinely was under the impression that this was the case. If this is true though, then why did Sally magically disappear into the woodwork and fall far enough from the public eye so as not to be remembered until elements of the liaison were rehashed with a civil rights agenda.
Samantha Christal, Lehigh University

63) Look at Martha burning Sally's letters from TJ. Sally makes a move to the fireplace, and Martha restrains her. Martha is behind Sally and is holding her arms back as they both stare into the fire. The image struck me as emblematic of the "official" family's attempts to erase any mention of a Jefferson/Hemings affair while Sally herself is restrained and powerless to prevent her most cherished memories from incineration. Martha is angry, bitter, and resentful of Sally's place in her family and jealous that she must share her father, both in life and in history, with Hemings. Sally herself is watching her claim on history, and hence her identity and the tangible memory of her, go up in smoke. Considering the state of both race and gender roles in their society, that these two women are pitted against each other is deeply ironic.
Stephen Molloy, Lehigh University

64) When Sally first arrives in France, Jefferson shoots her a look across the room when she first enters, and while this is a minor moment in the movie, it speaks volumes. The director chose to cast a certain shadow across Jefferson at this moment despite his being in a very well lit room. That isn't to say that there was a huge amount of shadow going on, but I do think he played with the light and dark to show the beginning of the relationship. In Jefferson's eyes in this scene there is both a look of recognition as well as a hint of lust or some sort of desire. It is hard to tell exactly what he is thinking until he begins to reminisce with Sally about the last time he saw her at such a young age. I think this is partially a cover to mask the desire he first felt when he saw her. Something forbidden but also strangely familiar and comfortable. I think his first reaction to her is the ultimate first look that he could have given, and the actor really nailed it in this scene. The first combination of intrigue and desire floats into the situation, but it is also strangely innocent. There is lust and desire, but there is no question there is true feeling behind his eyes despite the fact that he has not really gotten to know her yet. To me the first look gives away so much. Now that could be because I know how the situation plays out since we have basically been studying that since May, but I still see this look as shadowing the relationship that was to come. The look continues to pop up throughout the movie, and the lustful looks develop as the relationship develops, and the look itself begins to grow. His eyes give away a lot in the beginning of this story.
Alexandra Horowitz, Lehigh University

65) Later in the film while Jefferson is President, one of the best moments happens when Sally walks into the dining room with a pitcher of water. This would be my "freeze frame," as Jefferson is choking on his drink while the others at the table are awkwardly avoiding the obvious situation (except for one guest). The scene is perfect, because it displays the unique situation in the South that made it possible for such relationships to happen. Something that should be well known is never talked about, yet it surrounds the people involved. It also demonstrates the clashing of Jefferson's two worlds that he never meant to happen. I thought it was interesting how the camera stayed on Sally for most of the time, never relenting in her resenting stare.
Stephen Rumizen, Lehigh University

66) At approximately 49 minutes into the film, Sally is lying on her bed with her white son on her chest, and Thomas Jefferson (who is leaving for Washington in a few hours) comes in and sits on her bed and leans forward to kiss Sally. The lighting is low and "romantic," and the three of them are together, completely focused on each other and unaware of the rest of the world. Jefferson shows tenderness, and Sally is upset that he is leaving soon, that she just had their son and that she is going to miss Jefferson and have the added responsibility of taking care of their child. I think this is pretty poignant, as it really shows the power dynamics of their relationship and the struggles beyond the "slave/master" bit that Sally must have faced.
Anonymous , Lehigh University

67) The image of Jefferson clutching at Sally's skirts while on his knees before her near the fireplace is such a powerful one because it visually reverses the situation and really shows how invested both parties were in one another. This moment also clearly illustrates Jefferson's personal battle between himself, his country, and the institution of slavery. It brings back the quote from the movie in which, at least somewhere along the lines of this, Jefferson says he wants to change America but can't and merely hopes to be involved in a plan that does. This image also strikes me as a great poster image because it depicts Sally Hemings as what she truly was: one of the first pioneers in abolishing slavery. It was a long and hard battle, but no one can deny that she was one of its initial "martyrs."
Ruslana Makarenko, Lehigh University

68) The director presents Jefferson and Sally in various shades of light and shadow, especially on close shots. Often, the light glows around them and their features are barely discernible. Several shots portray them mouth-to-mouth with a fiery light between their faces, a light that seems to blind the viewer, not the lovers. I wonder what Haid wants us to think watching the light dancing about their faces sometimes veiling them and sometimes illuminating them. Is the window into their world so full of controversy that he wants that lighting to distract us at times? Are the little spaces of light a truth revealed only to those willing to risk darkness?
Teresa Salvatore, Lehigh University

69) The man who penned "all men are created equal" owned slaves? Had an affair with Sally Hemings? Was too embarrassed to unveil his secret? His family too ashamed to leave any trace of the romance?
Adam Kaufman, Lehigh University

70) I don't blame Jefferson for not acknowledging Hemings or anything like that. For the time period she was treated much better than most slaves, especially slaves who did interact sexually with their masters (consensually and rape). However, his hypocrisy is what has always held me back from thinking of him in as high a regard as most people. Jefferson was a brilliant, writer, thinker, and visionary -- but also a hypocrite. I'll ask again the question he refused to answer: how can you write all men are created equal and own slaves?
Morgan Christopher, Lehigh University

71) The DVD cover in particular sums up this film's shortcomings. By depicting Jefferson in a, if not positive, then at least neutral light, it fails to explore what seems to be the central issue of Jefferson's hypocritical and potentially malevolent treatment of this one particular slave of his. I much preferred Nolte's Jefferson [in Jefferson in Paris, episode 11].
Eric Edgerton, Lehigh University

72) Willingly undressing and making herself comfortable in her bedroom, Sally's intentions become evident beyond a shadow of a doubt; for the very first time in the film she is portrayed not as an innocent teenager but as a willful woman. Jefferson does not resist his urge as he proceeds to kiss her on the shoulder, and the rest is history. This scene gives the viewer insight into the filmmaker's interpretation of the nature of the "scandal," showing that the relationship was both mutual and romantic. The particular image, however, shows a Sally that appears to be uncertain about what will happen next as her gaze, pregnant with contemplation, implies a deep emotional barrier to her impending intercourse. Perhaps she is second-guessing herself, or feeling frightened, but whatever she may be internally debating, she soon lays it to rest. The following day shows a Sally who does not regret her actions in the least -- while serving Jefferson at breakfast, she cannot contain herself and kisses him on the lips, igniting a second passionate encounter that leaves the viewer convinced of their reciprocated intimacy.
Raphael Khallouqi, Lehigh University

73) In the eyes of 18th-century Southern society, Sally Hemings was nothing more than a mulatto slave girl. Whether she had a relationship with our third president or even carried his child did not matter. To them, she was a slave girl, and that was that. Sally, however, was in fact human, and her relationship with Thomas Jefferson was as confusing for her then as it is for us now. Carrying his child, the child whom he could not even acknowledge as his own, only made it worse. The scene that shows Sally and her mother sitting in a field under a somber sky, discussing her child, reflects this notion. As Sally looks off, neither happy nor sad, her mother reminds her of where they are, both slaves born from a white man. For once we are dragged back to reality. As long as slavery exists, she and her family are always second-class, and in this moment we are shown something that we often forget: Sally's reality was one in which she had a lot to lose and little to gain. It was not possible for her to have a normal relationship, no matter how she felt about him, and he, her. Every child she bore him was nothing other than a slave until Jefferson allowed any differently.
Brian Day, Lehigh University

74) The relationship between Jefferson and Sally is one of tumultuous passion. There are many scenes that show them lovingly gazing at each other and other scenes that show discord between them. The night scene in which Jefferson lovingly gazes at Sally and their child just after birth stood out for me. Although their love was forbidden, he did care enough to see his child. Sally was a prideful woman and Jefferson a well-respected man, so to have this relationship in secret with all this passion was not a simple task for either of them. This tender scene comes just after the baby is announced to world as a child "white as snow" and crowned "Thomas Jefferson Hemings." The following depressed look on Martha Jefferson's face shows the disparity in Jefferson's legitimate relationship and the strain that his secret affair has on his public life.
Daniel Enny, Lehigh University

75) The light-skinned black slave, barely a woman, stands in the middle of a field, holding her newborn baby, as slaves feverishly work in the backdrop. Sally Hemings walks through the field of laboring slaves, holding her baby on her hip, the baby fathered by the slave owner himself. The roles have been reversed; Sally is practically in charge of this plantation as the concubine of the owner himself. Sally is now seeing things from the other side of the spectrum. Sally is secretly living the sweet and free lifestyle that many slaves alike wished for. This scene gives viewers a sight to wonder over in awe and to even gasp over the irony. The unfortunate fact is that her fellow slaves are engaging in painstaking labor as she frolics around as the master's mistress. Is this fair and merely a fact of life? Or is this inequitable as Jefferson clearly shows preference for Sally? Now here is a point to debate.
Kiersten Moore, Lehigh University

76) Our wise, respected third president and creator of the Declaration of Independence, a survivor of the deaths of both his beloved wife and daughter, is brought to his knees by a slave. What a prize Sally Hemings must have been in order to hold such great power over a man as prestigious as Thomas Jefferson. Throughout, it's clear that Jefferson is captivated not only by Sally's beauty but her intelligence, and he is determined not to let her slip away. Sally angrily speaks her contempt for Jefferson's weak efforts to outlaw slavery in the United States. She calls him out on having continuously dodged his promise to rid the nation of slavery, indirectly considering her to be less superior. This single scene can represent the entire relationship. Jefferson, desperate for Sally's love, is brought to his knees in front of her. Obviously, Jefferson is unconditionally in love with Sally, and he shows his respect for her by getting to his knees to beg for forgiveness. This take on the affair is contrary to those that assume a more violent and advantageous relationship between master and slave. While this frame depicts Sally as having power over Jefferson, it also shows her vulnerability. How easily she can give in to his pleas for her affection. Thus, although the naivety that characterized Sally in Jefferson in Paris has escaped her in this film, she still has a shadow of passiveness, reminding the viewer that, despite having the power to shrink President Jefferson to his knees, Sally Hemings will always be a slave.
Hannah Masse, Lehigh University

77) Consider the close-up of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson dancing together at Versailles. This is the first glimpse of a love connection between them. The look of longing is synonymous in both the slave and aristocrat's eyes. The two look as if they are gazing into one another's souls. There is love in their eyes, but there is also fear. This scene foreshadows the tumultuous nature of their relationship -- the idea that an amorous affair between a slave and her politically famous master is extremely dangerous. One wonders about the truth beneath this scene. Could it have actually occurred? Would Thomas Jefferson dance with a slave in public? The director took a big risk in adding this probable historically inaccurate scene. Yet, it captures an extremely emotional moment in the lovers' lives. The dance at Versailles likely did not occur. However, there was undoubtedly a moment at which the two realized that they were interested in one another. This moment was captured in the film by blatantly portraying the two waltzing at Versailles, staring at one another in a way that predicts the passionate affair that ensues.
Emma Rabinowitz, Lehigh University

78) The scene in which the midwife holds Sally's first child up in front of the Monticello community and names him Thomas Jefferson Hemings provokes an interesting thought. The scene reveals very clearly that Jefferson was most likely the father of the mulatto baby. Despite this, Jefferson must wait until night to visit with Sally and his baby. Even though the majority of people at Monticello know, Jefferson still takes his precautions as if no one knows. It is this idea on which the movie is centered, the idea that despite their love, society would never allow Jefferson and Sally to be lovers.
Brandon Barton, Lehigh University

79) From lust and passion in Paris to mature intimacy at Monticello, Jefferson and Sally have been through much together, as the image of them walking through the thistle patch toward the end of the film unmistakably shows. As the two walk romantically together, with beautiful flowers in the foreground,
Jefferson remarks sadly on the poor quality of his crops that year, and, immediately, Sally reassures him, "They'll come back up. They always do." Watching this gives the viewer a sense of a lasting relationship, which is close to that of a long-married couple. This is the last time Jefferson and Sally are together before he falls ill. Sally knows that Jefferson is old, and she knows he will not be around for much longer. In their last functioning scene together, Sally gives Jefferson hope like any good partner would.
Adin Greenwald, Lehigh University

80) After she teaches her actual love, Henry, how to read and write, the speechless Sally finally absorbs the value of their relationship and the mistakes she made in Paris while reading the message Henry "writes" to her. Although only comprised of seven letter blocks -- "SAL," a heart, and "HEN," -- the personally carved message definitely has a deeper effect on Sally than the lengthy, romantic letters of Jefferson. Henry was the man whom she initially genuinely loved and wanted to marry. Because she had a child with Jefferson in Paris, however, the relationship between Sally and Henry became distant and crushed. But when she came home from Paris, Sally again leaned towards the idea of having a relationship with Henry. She spent time with him and taught him how to read and write as she knew. The artistry of the image in which Sally's hands touch the letter blocks that Henry assembled depicts Sally's desire to physically escape Jefferson's life and be with Henry. It is subtle yet powerful. Because Jefferson is always mentioning how he needs her physical presence, by placing her hand on Henry's message, Sally declares her own needs.
Danielle Heymann, Lehigh University

81) The woman who was banished to a back appendix or even completely ignored in Thomas Jefferson biographies done by such notable scholars as Dumas Malone and Merrill Peterson is now portrayed as having a steadfast grip on the President's heart-strings. She is not a mere "concubine" or a "negress" that was just a fling for the old "massa," but, rather, her influence on the President's life is shown to span decades. Sally is reborn as a strong woman, with refined manners/speech and an education provided to her by the scholarly Jefferson that includes the likes of Shakespeare. She is not helpless or taken advantage of by any means and instead remains at Monticello of her own volition. And at Monticello, Sally has a voice and isn't fearful to use it, standing up to Jefferson's meddlesome family and even the President himself as she advocates for the interests of her family and her fellow slaves.
Jennifer Markham, Lehigh University

82) One scene in this 2000 historical drama synthesizes all the conflicts of the film into a single, concise tableau vivant, the scene that depicts the shadows of a cooing newborn, Tom Hemings, embraced by his torpid mother while Master Jefferson sneaks in to lay gaze on a son he can never acknowledge as his own. The emotions stream as the onlooker comes to fathom the humanity of the situation. Perhaps the most revered man in American history, conceiver of the Declaration of Independence, third President, slave owner, scandal monger, and publisher of xenophobic mistruths, Thomas Jefferson fell in love with his own Negress. Notwithstanding his personal contradictions and, moreover, national incongruities in regard to slave policy, which he of all people had the greatest power to influence, how could he fall victim to the hamartia of loving the forbidden woman?
Kiernan McGinnis, Lehigh University