{"product_id":"history-by-a-hair-thomas-jefferson-sally-hemings-solving-a-200-year-old-mystery-9798217088508","title":"History by a Hair: Thomas Jefferson, Sally Hemings \u0026 Solving a 200-Year-Old Mystery","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe definitive account of how a discarded strand of hair found in Thomas Jefferson's Bible led to a sweeping, multi-year genomic investigation, drawing on technological advances in DNA to finally resolve a 200-year national controversy. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Written with the gravitas of history and the pace of a thriller, Richard Kurin's landmark account is vital and compelling.\"--Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of \u003ci\u003eThomas Jefferson: The Art of Power\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn 2011, staff at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History discovered what appeared to be a hair--light red, possibly human--pressed between the pages of the Thomas Jefferson Bible. That hair sparked an unprecedented scientific quest: determining if modern genomics could recover Jefferson's DNA and finally resolve the most divisive and enduring question surrounding his life--the paternity of the children of Sally Hemings, one of hundreds of African Americans enslaved by Thomas Jefferson. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFor over two centuries, the Jefferson-Hemings controversy has shaped American debates about race, power, slavery, and the mythology of the Founding Fathers. Historians have argued fiercely. Descendants have lived with uncertainty. DNA technology in the 1990s brought us closer, but not all the way; the evidence remained incomplete. Until now. In this riveting narrative--part scientific detective story, part historical epic--Richard Kurin, distinguished scholar and museum official, leads readers through the fifteen-year-long genomic investigation conducted with leading DNA scientists, archaeologists, genealogists, forensic experts, and Jefferson and Hemings' descendants across the country. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe result is the first conclusive, scientifically validated answer to a question that has reverberated since the eighteenth century--an answer that settles the historical record, deepens our understanding of Jefferson, honors generations of family oral history, and asks America to confront the full complexity of its origins.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Richard Kurin\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Crown Publishing Group (NY)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/22\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 432\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.38lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.33h x 6.44w x 1.44d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798217088508\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eRichard Kurin\u003c\/b\u003e is the Smithsonian Institution's Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large and previously served as Under Secretary overseeing all museums and scientific centers. An author of several popular books on American history and Fellow of the American Academy of Arts \u0026amp; Sciences, Kurin has led major national cultural initiatives and produced award-winning public history.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Richard Kurin \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":48968725430429,"sku":"9798217088508","price":42.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_4682597f-6c70-4d31-bdfc-82ec8e9ebae8.jpg?v=1790752727","url":"https:\/\/booksdeli.com\/products\/history-by-a-hair-thomas-jefferson-sally-hemings-solving-a-200-year-old-mystery-9798217088508","provider":"booksdeli.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}