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A rare, period poem exploiting the Jefferson-Hemings affair...
A rare, period poem exploiting the Jefferson-Hemings affair...
Item # 702566
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November 22, 1802
GAZETTE OF THE UNITED STATES, Philadelphia, Nov. 22, 1802 Page 2 contains a lengthy and satirical poem relating to the Jefferson-Hemings Affair.
As a bit of background, Sally Hemings was an enslaved woman of mixed race owned by President Thomas Jefferson. Most historians believe Jefferson was the father of her six children, born after the death of his wife, Martha Jefferson. Four survived to adulthood, and were given freedom by Jefferson.
It was just 3 weeks earlier that this same newspaper published a biting poem concerning this controversial affair. And now another, this one titled: "A Philosophic Love Song, To Sally".
It is prefaced with an introduction which hints--tongue-in-cheek--that it was written by Thomas Jefferson, noting in part: "Among the numerous accomplishments of a certain wide and virtuous Great Man, the public have not yet been informed that he possesses the fire and the soul of a poet...the following love song will abundantly prove that his poetical powers are not less conspicuous than his philosophic acuteness and his capacious and his minute acquirements as a statesman...".
This satire has Jefferson as the author of the poem, portions of which include: "Let poets sing...for damsels bright & fair; The ruby lip, the sapphire eye, The silken, auburn hair; My philosophic taste disdains such paltry charms...Me no such tawdry tints delight--No! black's the hue for me! What though my Sally's nose be flat, This harder, then, to break it...Thou, Sally, thou my house shall keep, My widow'd tears shall dry! My virgin daughters--see! they weep--Their mother's place supply...".
The latter phrases referencing Jefferson's wife, Martha, who died 20 years previous, as well as his 4 daughters.
A 1998 DNA study found a match between the Jefferson male line and a descendant of Hemings' last son, Eston Hemings. There is a near-consensus among historians that Jefferson fathered her son Eston Hemings and probably all her children.
Very little can be found on the internet concerning this poem, however, it is printed in the book: "Miscegenation: Making Race in America" by Elise Lemire.
Four pages, minor margin tears with a few margin indents, good condition.
Four pages, minor margin tears with a few margin indents, good condition.
Category: Pre-Civil War
No Longer Available
