15 Children of Enslaved Women and Plantation Owners—and What Became of Them

1. Sally Hemings’ Children (United States)

Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, bore six children by Jefferson. Her children, such as Madison and Eston Hemings, inhabited a liminal world—legally enslaved, yet known by some as Jefferson’s offspring. Some of the Hemings children were able to pass into white society, erasing their origins for greater opportunity. Others embraced and maintained their Black identities, shaping future generations. Today, their descendants play a pivotal role in illuminating this once-hidden chapter of American history. Read more