Digital Audiobook Unabridged Details. Active listings data currently unavailable. Join Well, this would have been taboo back in the 1960s and early '70s. The paradox, of course, is that the Founding Father who lyrically articulated Americas grandest expression of equality enslaved more than 600 human beings on his mountaintop plantation, Monticello. Thousands of Images covering the History of the White House, Official White House Ornaments, Books & More, White House History Live: Reclamation with Gayle Jessup White. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Gayle Jessup White had long heard the stories passed down from her fathers family, that they were direct descendants of Thomas Jeffersonlore she firmly believed, though others did not. Kirkus Reviews, "19 Books We Can't Wait to Curl Up with This Fall!" Hardcover . Gayle Jessup White, descendant of Thomas Jefferson, searches for her family's legacy By Erin Keever Published November 10, 2021 at 9:00 AM EST Listen 49:25 Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021 America. In her book, Reclamation, Gayle chronicles her journey to find her heritage, and more. Gayle Jessup White is a communications consultant, writer, and realtor. 137 Kindle Edition $1499 Customers Also Bought Items By Whites story is singular, yet somehow pervasive the most honest of American narratives. I mean, the fact that your ancestors owned and in many ways mistreated horribly some of your other ancestors, and that contradiction lives in you. Growing up, she had heard that her African American family was somehow descended from Thomas Jefferson, but with limited records and tight-lipped relatives, there was no proof. What are some unusual animals that have lived in and around the White House? it was that one link. *This is a promotional service of HarperCollins Gayle spent several years as a TV news reporter and anchor before becoming a public television producer and show host at her undergraduate alma mater, Howard. A former award-winning television reporter and anchor, Jessup White started her career at the New York Times. The Spotsylvania County Sheriffs Office has decided to end its participation on a national television show, at least for now. Fairfield Universitys Open VISIONS Forum (OVF) will host a compelling and timely discussion on racism, politics, power, and slavery at the Quick Center on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 at 8 p.m. (l-r) Andrew M. Davenport and Gayle Jessup White. She is also a member the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society and serves on the Poplar Forest African American Advisory Group. We are here to help and encourage you! A Black descendent of Thomas Jefferson and employee at Monticello, author Gayle Jessup White examined the legacies of her ancestors and the current racial. As Gayle followed her own leads, DNA research confirmed the long-told rumor that Jefferson had children with an enslaved woman named Sally Hemings. And I've made those connections. Man died Wednesday. [email protected]. there. MARTIN: How do you reconcile for yourself those contradictions which live in you? us in learning more about White House History right from your own home. The Making of Presidents' and First Ladies' Portraits. It would behoove all of us to be as curious about our heritage as White. Thousands of Images covering the History of the White House, Official White House Ornaments, Books & More. Facebook Live series, White House History Live, delves into the history of the Zillow, Inc. holds real estate brokerage licenses in multiple states. I feel that the ancestors pulled me out of my hometown, my beloved hometown, Washington, D.C., to come to Richmond Virginia, which is just 70 miles from Charlottesville, so that I could become a vehicle for them, so that I could express as well as I possibly could what they were not able to. She is currently the Foundations public relations & community engagement officer. Leslie Greene Bowman, president of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, lauded White and Reclamation during a Nov. 16 book launch event at Monticello. . Get to know others seeking Gods guidance and wisdom for life. 2023 The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization. I'm very comfortable with who I am and take complete ownership of my place in society and as a descendant of enslaved people. God made it possible for you to know. ortraits by Rembrandt Peale, left, and. Trade PB. The findings: Jeffersons great-great-grandson, Moncure Robinson Taylor, was Whites great-grandfather through a relationship with his familys domestic servant, Whites great-grandmother Rachel Robinson. And then, of course, these stories were reported back when Jefferson was president back in 1801. Skip to main content. Gayle Jessup White, author of Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendant's Search for Her Family's Lasting Legacy. She is the public relations and community engagement officer at Monticello. She is a direct Jefferson descendant, and is also related to two well-documented families enslaved at Monticellothe Hemingses and the Hubbards. I needed to know that to feel whole. It started when she was a young girl growing up in 1970s Washington D.C. At the time Jefferson was my favorite president because he'd written the Declaration, and I believed and still believe in the principles put forth in that document, says Gayle. She also serves on the Poplar Forest African American Advisory Group. Owning people is sinful. Gayle Jessup White is the Public Relations and Community Engagement Officer at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's legendary estate. White, Monticellos first public relations and community engagement officer, joins us to discuss her book Reclamation, which chronicles her remarkable journey to understand and reclaim her heritage as a Jefferson descendant. You could only hear the silver touching the china. White, a Henrico County resident, and the public relations and community engagement officer at Monticello, describes her four-decade effort to reclaim her family heritage in her recently released book, Reclamation., Or as she wrote: It was always my goal to uncover my roots, to understand my familys place in American history, and to restore them to the nations narrative. What are the dimensions of the White House? View and manage who you follow on Amazon. An insatiable desire to learn her familys story landed Gayle Jessup White at Monticello, a place she describes as the epicenter of the American paradox.. Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY from Gayle Jessup White tells the fascinating story in her new book, "Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendant's Search for Her Family's Lasting Legacy.". This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. I found not just the history, but I found my family. She also hopes that people see themselves and their families in mine. A Washington, DC native, Gayle and her family moved to Richmond in 2006. A former award-winning television reporter and anchor, Jessup White started her career at the New York Times. Her family tree traces back to Thomas Jefferson, our third president. They were treated as possessions. Booklist, "Jessup White tells a story that will be meaningful to many readers. She says, For many years I assumed I was descended from Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. And she decided to challenge the guests at the table with her own lineage. We are reconsidering how we remember the institution of slavery, and that includes the historical figures from that period. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. They were kin, with one family owning the other. Gayle would spend years following clues, tracing her family tree, and scouring historical records. Our Facebook Live series, White House Biographer Jeffrey Frank discusses his new book on Harry Truman. Tickets are $20 | Quick Members: $15. It was in 2016 that Gayle came on-staff at Monticello, educating the public about the legacy the good and the bad of one of Americas Founding Fathers. And Sallie Hemmans Whites great-great-grandmother was the daughter of Peter Hemings, an older brother of Sally Hemings. ALBEMARLE Gayle Jessup White spent four decades of her life exploring her connection to Thomas Jefferson, a passion born out of her family's oral history that they were his direct. Yet that wasn't good enough for Gayle Jessup White. In a real-life version of Roots,GayleJessupWhites compelling exploration of her family ties to Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings family demonstrates that Americas complex racial history is written in our DNA. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. "Reclamationis a quintessential American story that should be required reading for anyone who doesn't understand the true contributions of African-Americans to this nation and how vital our presence was and remains to the core principles of democracy and freedom." NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Gayle Jessup White about her book, Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendant's Search for Her Family's Lasting Legacy. Can God change your life? And I've found my wholeness., A wholeness she hopes all Americans will soon share. Error: There was an internal error submitting your form. She's a native Charlottean. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. Charlayne Hunter Gault, Armed with her newfound familial truth, the author . It ended up being a good fit for us. CBN's ministry is made possible by the support of our CBN Partners. MARTIN: That is Gayle Jessup White. It also traces back to Sally Hemings, Jefferson's slave who . I work at giving attention to those who never had it. John Marshall boys basketball reclaims No. . Our communications I grew up as a Black American and proud of it. I can't imagine being anyplace else. The biggest clues came from stories passed down through her father and his family. Jessup White had long heard the stories passed down from her fathers family, It was reported in the Richmond newspaper that Jefferson had relations with an enslaved woman, Dusky Sally, she was called. Danielle Thompson - 700 Club Producer. Its a contradiction that courses through Whites bloodstream and inhabits her DNA as a descendant of both Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, the enslaved Black woman with whom he had at least six children. In a 2018 article for Smithsonian magazine, Davenport wrote, The research that has come out of the 25 years of Getting Words existence has in many ways been the invisible hand behind the visitor experience at Monticello where about 400 enslaved laborers worked at one point in their lives.. So the point here is to acknowledge that these families were entangled. With Cinders help, Gayles four decades of research would soon culminate: Thomas Jefferson was her 5-times great grandfather, and Sally Hemings, her 4-times great aunt. Hemings, Sally Hemings brother. It was just enough information out there to keep me aware of the possibility. . Gayle taught journalism at VCU and created training programs for at-risk young adults. Gayle recounts, Well I was shocked. Bookperk and other HarperCollins services. And that's the story I heard my sister share with my dad when I was a 13-year-old girl growing up in Washington, D.C. MICHEL MARTIN, BYLINE: So you had no knowledge of this until she brought it - how did she know about this? That's sacred ground for me, says Gayle. A Black descendent of Thomas Jefferson and employee at Monticello, author Gayle Jessup White examined the legacies of her ancestors and the current racial. We are the sum total of our backgrounds of our ancestors, and I didn't know who mine were. This browser is no longer supported. Facebook gives people the. The man's famil. Gayle Jessup White will be in Charlotte to speak at the Mecklenburg Chapter Sons of the American Revolution on Nov. 11. Gayle Jessup White had long heard the stories passed down from . The Making of Presidents' and First Ladies' Portraits. Gayle explains, I'm actually descended from her brother, Peter Hemings, who was a cook at Monticello. 90.3 Hickory 106.1 Laurinburg, PublishedNovember 10, 2021 at 9:00 AM EST. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. Two years later, she joined the staff as Community Engagement Officer, becoming a principal spokesperson and the first descendant of Jefferson and the families he enslaved to work for the Foundation. And she heard it from her over and over and over again for the 20 years she lived with our family. White has written and spoken extensively about her work at Monticello and about her familys ties to Jefferson, his extended family, and the enslaved community. The McKnew family put her out and ours took her in. A former award-winning television reporter and anchor, Gayle started her career at the New York Times. See her moment of surrender, and the miracle of life. He is currently a research assistant with the Georgetown Slavery Archive. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. She began at the Foundation in 2014 as a Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies fellow, combing through old letters, documents, and records for clues to her familys past. Gayle Jessup White talks with Karen about her book, "Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendant's Search for Her Family's Lasting Legacy.. She has written and spoken extensively about her work at Monticello, the legacies of slavery, and her familys contributions to American history. As people say, it is what it is. For Gayle Jessup White, landing the job of Public Relations and Community Engagement Officer at Thomas Jeffersons historic home, Monticello, was more than a chance to share her passion for American history. About the Author Gayle Jessup White is a third generation Washingtonian whose lineage extends as far back as the indigenous people who inhabited the Chesapeake area before the . A Guide to Reducing Your Health Care Costs, Breaking Barriers: Challenges and opportunities for Latino students, EQUALibrium: An exploration of race and equity in Charlotte, Falling short: Why Democrats keep losing most statewide races, EQUALibrium Live: Conversations on Race & Equity, WFAE 2023 TINDOL SUBARU CROSSTREK RAFFLE, NPR's Founding Mothers In Conversation With WFAE's Lisa Worf, Journalist Stephanie Foo's memoir 'What My Bones Know' shares story of healing from childhood trauma, What widespread legal sports betting would mean for North Carolina, Local News Roundup: NC House votes to end pistol permit requirements; Neighborhood Theatre building sold; Ella Scarborough honored; warm winter temps. If anything, Reclamation demonstrates how illusory and yes, paradoxical American identity can be. Feeling my ancestors, hearing my ancestors, say to me: Gayle, write this story. In Reclamation she chronicles her remarkable journey to definitively understand her heritage and reclaim it, and offers a compelling portrait of what it means to be a black woman in America, to pursue the American dream, to reconcile the legacy of racism, and to ensure the nation lives up to the ideals advocated by her legendary ancestor. A graduate of Kenyon College in Ohio, he received a masters degree in American Studies from Fairfield University and is currently pursing his doctorate in U.S. history at Georgetown University. In the 90s, when Gayle was out of college and building a career in journalism, she got serious about her search. Those of us who are not black can never fully experience the impact of systemic racism. Using television and the Internet, CBN is proclaiming the Good News in 149 countries and territories, with programs and content in 67 languages. When I'm in that space where I feel the presence of my ancestors. She is the author of the book, Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendants Search for Her Familys Lasting Legacy. My dad was 6'2", had red hair and freckles. And so I don't work at reconciling who my white ancestors were and who my Black ancestors were. Bakari Sellers, New York Times best-selling author ofMy Vanishing Country, In her quest to discover the truth behind her family's oral legend of its connection to Thomas Jefferson, Gayle Jessup White reveals the truth of our national history: that 'white' and 'black' are inextricably bound by blood and heritage. And it's important to note as well that we know what happened at Monticello, but it wasn't unusual. I didnt have an epiphany. Williams: 'My story is their story, too': Gayle Jessup White, a descendant of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, reclaims her heritage. Pastors Rooftop Mission to Save Chicagos Southside, Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendant's Search for Her Family's Lasting Legacy, Former NBC Exec on Overcoming Overwhelming Tragedy. Gayle Jessup White is the author of the upcoming book, "Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendant's Search for Her Family's Lasting Legacy.". There was a problem saving your notification. though others did not. ADRIAN FLORIDO,. Getting Word has significantly changed the interpretation of African-American life during enslavement under Thomas Jefferson. White House History Live. Along the way, she learned more about her connections to Jefferson and Hemings through research and DNA testing, with an assist from Lucia Cinder Stanton, the groundbreaking Monticello historian who has published several books on the history of slavery there. And my grandmother was from Charlottesville. The backdrop for the early part of Whites story is Black, middle-class Washington. 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