Since a child I have had an oral history that linked us to Thomas Jefferson and his slaves that he had children with.  I didn’t think much about it growing up.  But at this point in my life I feel it’s important to tie up loose ends, connect with what I had known, to investigate.  It was the sheer intrigue of linking and researching to see whether it led back to Monticello – like a mystery novel.

And it was also important to me for healing of sorts, to come to resolution and forgiveness about whatever I felt were the injustices done in that period.  We had no idea that it would blow up into a contentious situation between family members.  It left a bad taste that they kept denying what we felt was the truth about our ancestors.  But we believed what our ancestors said, and they believed their oral history too.  So it was a struggle for us all. Eventually a small number of the Jefferson family embraced us and attended family gatherings. That’s meaningful to me.

The Coming to the Table event is very innovative.  I haven’t heard of any other organization that was willing to seek a method to deal with racism in this way.  I think it should happen in every state!  This is the beginning.  I hope it catches on in other places.

Photo: Connye with Susan Hutchison (Jefferson family)