Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, is often hailed as the "founding man of the United States." He has a place in American history, thanks in part to the words he drafted for the Declaration of Independence, which proclaimed the core ideals of "liberty and equality" and laid the foundation for American national policy and development.

Even today, Jefferson's ideas and accomplishments have had a profound impact on American culture and policy.

However, despite his remarkable leadership, Jefferson was plagued by certain controversies. The biggest contradiction was that although he was a staunch advocate of "freedom and equality", in his personal life he owned a number of black slaves and traded them as property in the social environment of the time.

More strikingly, during Jefferson's tenure, there were rumors that he had an intimate relationship with one of his black slaves and that she was said to have bore him several children. In an era where information was not as rapid as it is now, such statements still became widespread social talk and had an impact on Jefferson's image.

Although Jefferson was silent on these topics, it sparked renewed public buzz when a scholar revisited the topic of history two centuries later.

Thomas Jefferson was born in Virginia, USA, in 1743 into a wealthy family, which allowed him to receive a high-quality education from an early age.

When Jefferson was just 14 years old, he lost his father. Despite the blows, his father left him a rich inheritance: an estate containing seven thousand acres of land and hundreds of slaves.

With such assets, Jefferson could have chosen to live a comfortable life. But after completing his college studies in Williamsburg, he decided to pursue a career in law, demonstrating his ambition and passion.

Thomas Jefferson quickly rose to prominence in Virginia's local government, becoming a prominent member of the state legislature. This state of Virginia was one of the first areas to declare independence in the future American Revolution.

Jefferson, who was emerging in politics, soon became close to a group of like-minded revolutionaries such as George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. The common idea of this group of radicals was to end British rule and create a democracy that would no longer rely on the monarchy.

In the summer of 1776, the wave of independence was already on the rise. At this critical juncture, Jefferson drafted a manifesto that firmly opposed the British government's unjust rule over the thirteen North American states, and proposed that the states should break free from British rule and move towards a new era without a monarch.

On July 4, the document, known as the Declaration of Independence, was unanimously approved by all delegates at the Continental Congress, proclaiming the birth of the United States. This day later became the national day of the United States, celebrating the birth of this young nation. It was Jefferson who drafted this landmark declaration.

After seven years of hard struggle, Britain finally recognized the independence of the United States in 1783. George Washington was elected the first president of the new nation, and Jefferson spent the following years serving as a congressman, secretary of state, and vice president of the U.S. government. He even later became the president of the United States and continued to make great contributions to the nascent nation.

scandal

In January 1772, in beautiful Virginia, 29-year-old Jefferson and Martha Wellis Skelton had a lavish wedding. Martha, the once-married woman, became Jefferson's wife with her father's blessing and a large fortune. Her fortune included not only a rich treasure of gold and silver, but also her bride girl Sally.

After getting married, Jefferson's political career flourished with the help of his previous good reputation and Martha's background. He was soon elected to the Virginia Assembly, and after the Revolutionary War, he rose to the highest position in Virginia, Governor, with his wisdom and courage.

During this time, Jefferson and Martha's relationship grew stronger. Together, they experienced joy and pain, especially with the many grief of their children's early deaths. Martha bore six children to Jefferson, but fate did not always favor the couple. The death of several of these children has been a devastating blow to the family.

Martha's flower of life withered at the age of 34. The last child she gave birth to became her last words in this life. In her final moments, she held Jefferson's hand tightly and pleaded with him affectionately, asking him to promise not to marry another woman and to take great care of his children.

Jefferson nodded affectionately, promising that she would keep her last wishes. This scene was witnessed by Sally, who was only nine years old at the time. At that time, she was still an innocent little girl, and she could not foresee the entanglements that would occur between herself and this master in the future. However, as time passed, her relationship with Jefferson became more and more complicated, becoming the focus of a long-standing controversy and legend in history.

More than just a black maid, Sully had a special bond with the Jefferson family, and she was a half-sister to Jefferson's late wife, Martha.

Martha's father had an affair with a black slave and gave birth to several children. However, due to the social environment and status at the time, he did not openly acknowledge these children, let alone the descendants of a slave with him. As a result, Sully was burdened with a double burden from birth, neither without his father's recognition, but also subject to the social system of the time, and became Jefferson's maid.

When Sully was 14 years old, she became Jefferson's "personal maid." Soon after, rumors spread that she had given birth to a child for Jefferson.

This was not uncommon in the social context of the time. The Western view of sexuality was relatively open, while black slaves were seen more as property than as individuals. In this context, the humiliation and injustice suffered by black slaves were widespread.

On a quiet night in 1801, in the corner of a tavern, a man was immersed in alcohol, his eyes hazy, as if he was troubled. He may be trying to forget something, or he may be thinking about something from the past.

But alcohol will always leave the population unchecked. In his drunken words, a shocking secret is revealed, about Thomas Jefferson, a respected pioneer in the United States. He claimed that Jefferson had an affair with an underage black slave girl and even gave birth to an illegitimate child. This news was like pouring cold water on it, shocking the people around it.

In the fall of 1802, Callender wrote an essay describing the close relationship between President Jefferson and his family slave, Sally Helens, and mentioning their possible illegitimate children.

Even more shocking, he exposes the relationship between Helens and Jefferson's late wife: Helens is the half-sister of Jefferson's wife. At the beginning of her relationship with Jefferson, Helens was only thirteen or fourteen years old, about the same age as Jefferson's daughter. The article immediately caused an uproar and became a hot topic in the city. The Federalists, who were unfriendly to Jefferson, took the opportunity to attack him.

Many newspapers followed, hoping that the president would come forward to respond. However, Jefferson chose silence in response, treating the breaking news coldly. Jefferson was well aware of the strategic significance of silence, and while his silence did not completely dispel Callender's accusations, no one dared to question him publicly and face to face. Over time, the event became less visible and its impact on Jefferson's political career faded.

A few years later, Callender died unexpectedly, and the topic faded into public view. Throughout his life, Jefferson never publicly responded to the scandal about him and Hemmings, nor did he confirm or deny any claims that he had a child with her.

For any American president, such scandals will undoubtedly have negative consequences, and Jefferson was no exception. Even years after his death, people who claim to be descendants between him and Sally Hemmings are still seeking recognition of their true origins, but the public is still skeptical.

Jefferson's family has always been adamantly denied the relationship, and this may also be due in part to their heavily racist views. But the fog of history has not dissipated because of this. In 1996, retired scholar Forster took a keen interest in this history and decided to investigate.

By the end of the 20th century, DNA technology had matured. Although Jefferson himself is long gone, his descendants are still alive. Through his efforts, Foster obtained permission from the descendants of the Jefferson family to collect DNA samples from them. When he compared the samples with the DNA of Sally Hemings' descendants, the results proved a blood relationship between the two.