Review

General Books

In recent years, much of the historiography surrounding the personal life of Thomas Jefferson has centered upon the nature of the relationship between the Sage of Monticello and Sally Hemings. Annette Gordon-Reed's Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy coupled with new DNA evidence linking Jefferson to the Hemings family stoked the fires of debate. Lost in the discussion are the lives of not only the other Hemings' family members, but the Monticello slave community as a whole. In her study, Free Some Day: The African American Families of Monticello, Lucia Stanton attempts to broaden the focus, examining the societal structure under which Jefferson's slaves functioned. Stanton, presently Shannon Senior Research Historian at Monticello's International Center for Jefferson Studies, shows how slaves coped with their bondage and also how Jefferson accommodated an institution to which he was ideologically opposed.	1
Stanton begins the study by explaining the difficulties in tracing the history of Jefferson's slaves. Scant documented evidence exists, consisting of a few reminiscences and a few letters. Jefferson's Farm Book and correspondence concerning labor management help to augment oral histories, although Stanton recognized the inherent bias of the sources and tries to work around it, The book is organized into chapters covering six of the more prominent slave families with smaller sections detailing issues and events that would have affected the entire community. Primarily chronological, the family histories begin with the years encompassing the American Revolution and end with the aftermath of Jefferson's death. The study focuses primarily on the house slaves, as more evidence exists relating to those African-Americans who had more direct contact with the Jefferson family. These slaves also walked a thin line, becoming very close to the master's family while trying to remain part of a vital slave community. One of the more interesting facets of the study concerns Jefferson's first personal servant, Jupiter. Born the same year (1743) as Jefferson, Jupiter accompanied him for the next 30 years, including the latter's years studying law in Williamsburg. By 1774, Jefferson may have desired a younger valet or Jupiter grew tired of the constant traveling, as he moved from personal servant to coachman in the Monticello stables. Although no longer attached to Jefferson's side, Jupiter continued to play a prominent role on the plantation, whether it was delivering the antislavery treatise A Summary View of the Rights of British America or transporting the Jefferson family to safety during the British invasion of 1781. Other biographical vignettes offer a window onto the lives of not only the slave community, but Jefferson's life as well.	2
Another fascinating aspect of Stanton's study is the examination of the inner workings of the plantation. In addition to cultivating wheat and tobacco, slaves became skilled in stonecutting, shoeing, carpentry, and nailery. Jefferson consistently sought additional methods of bringing money into the household, positioning Monticello as a marketplace for goods and services in the region. Jefferson as reluctant master is evident in the treatment of his slaves. In contrast to many of his fellow slave owners, Jefferson encouraged the exchange of knowledge between whites and blacks on the plantation, and repeatedly left written instructions for his personal servants. According to Stanton, slaves also seem to have been free to follow their religious faith openly. Although very little evidence exists with regard to slave preachers, the Monticello slaves embraced both Christianity and traditional African spiritual rituals. According to Stanton, slave punishment at Monticello was mild when compared with other plantations, but she is quick to point out that there were those overseers who chose liberal use of the whip upon Jefferson's absences. Slaves who consistently challenged the rules of the plantation or attempted escape were usually sold. Although Stanton seems to support the claims of Gordon-Reed in regard to Jefferson and Sally Hemings, she devotes more time to exploring the Hemings family and its privileged position among Monticello slaves. Of all the slaves owned by Jefferson, more of the Hemings were freed than from any other family. Free Some Day would be a valuable addition to both undergraduate and graduate courses. For undergraduates, Stanton explores plantation life, without becoming too preoccupied with debates regarding historiography. Graduate students will be impressed by Stanton's familiarity with the source material and understanding of the dynamics of the Monticello slave community.	3
Eastern Michigan University Jay Hester

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