5. Jefferson’s Correspondence with Mary Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson’s letters to his daughter Mary (“Polly”) occasionally refer to Sally Hemings in affectionate, domestic terms rather than as mere property. In an 1789 letter, he commends Sally’s care of Mary and expresses pride in “her children’s good behavior,” asking Polly to extend his regards. These nuanced remarks, preserved in the Founders Online collection, hint at a personal bond that transcended the typical master-slave dynamic and underscore Jefferson’s intimate involvement in Hemings’s family life.
