NPR
New DNA analysis adds evidence Jefferson fathered children with Sally Hemings
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
A DNA analysis of a lock of hair has provided additional evidence that Thomas Jefferson fathered children with Sally Hemings, a woman he enslaved at Monticello. The analysis was conducted by Richard Kurin, a scholar at the Smithsonian Institution, over a 15-year period. Jefferson and Hemings had a documented relationship that resulted in at least six children, which was previously confirmed through DNA testing in 1998.
