The Jefferson-Hemings family

The revelation that the descendants of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, a slave at the Monticello plantation, are biologically related has created tremendous controversy and conflict between the “Martha” and the “Sally” sides of the family. Shay Banks-Young was among those from the black side who has insisted on recognizing the family relationships. Various members of David Works’ family have been both vocal opponents and supporters of acknowledging the connection and sharing family reunions. Joint family reunions at Monticello, Jefferson’s home, have often been tense and conflictual.

Shay: I’ve always embraced my black heritage. I’ve always been proud that my family has been able to live through slavery and to make it through some difficult times. It’s never been important to me whether someone did or did not believe in my heritage in the Jefferson line. But I found that there were Jeffersons who wanted to know us, and then it became interesting. Yet there’s been so much conflict.

This particular event has given a different opportunity because it took us away from the conflict and gave us a different view. It helped us get us to get quiet and simply talk as people. Another benefit is seeing that there are other families like us and to find out its okay for all of us to get together and talk. And to hear David say he now has the courage to stand up and speak out!

David: Until you embrace the past, you can’t really go into the future. Otherwise, a part of you is still dragging the ball and chain of the past with you. I didn’t cause slavery and I’m bothered by being asked to take responsibility for it. But I have a responsibility to deal with the pain that is left over. I didn’t inherit any plantations, but is there a plantation in my own mind? When you interact as a family, you can sure see things crop up that you never would have thought were there. The black side of our family had a completely different upbringing than I did, a completely different point of view on things. Being pressed out of my comfort zone causes me to think and be challenged.

There was a lot of talk at our family reunions but it was a lot of yelling and finger-pointing. There was never a true debate or listening to what the other side was all about. A few of us had started to communicate well, but this event took us to a whole new level, much further than I thought it would ever go – into the stratosphere! It got us communicating.

I would have thought that some of the bigger institutions would have come up with this. To think that a little Mennonite College in the Shenandoah would come up with a ground-breaking program like this – it’s hilarious! But keep doing this!

David & Shay

David: I had to realize that people are people and family is family, and that we should treat people right.

Shay: I had to work through things too because I had been told that the Martha Jefferson people were red-neck racists.

David: I had come to this event thinking the pain was mostly 200 years ago and forgotten about all the pain that still needs to be healed.

Shay: Whatever happened 200 years ago has never left.

David: In order to get back to 200 years ago, we gotta deal with now.

Shay: I am your family. Now maybe we can act more like it. The fact that you turned around and embraced us, that takes a lot of courage, David.

David: That’s the bottom line: we’re family. The family that used to be known for fighting will be known for loving now. That’s where the action is going to be in the future.