Slave’s Descendants Cheer Jefferson News

Descendants of one of Thomas Jefferson’s slaves, Sally Hemings, say they feel vindicated by the results of a genetic study that offers strong evidence that Jefferson fathered at least one of her children. Less than a day after the announcement, tour guides at Monticello, Jefferson’s Charlottesville, Va., plantation, were telling visitors about the historic findings as they strolled through the estate. The study, which will be published Thursday in the journal Nature, links Jefferson to the last of Hemings’ children, Eston. “You can talk about it as much as you want, but scientific validity proves it,” Eston descendant Julie Westerinen said in a telephone interview from her New York City home.