3 1/2 stars. Enjoyable, easy read. ( )

From School Library Journal
Grade 8 Up-Twenty-year-old Lanier, a descendant of Thomas Jefferson and his slave, Sally Hemings, delves into genealogy, oral history, photographs, and personal experience to trace the verifiable lineage of Jefferson and his wife, Martha Wayles, and the less certain lineage of Jefferson and Hemings. An American family emerges that embodies the diversity and the complexity of our multiracial society. The confirmed DNA connection between Jefferson and Sally's youngest son, Eston, inspired the family reunion of May 15, 1999. Despite the reluctance of the Monticello Association to acknowledge Jefferson's relationship with Hemings, the passion and pride of many black, white, and mixed descendants at the reunion prompted Lanier to explore his shared heritage. Traveling throughout the country, he visited Jefferson's descendants, recording their reminiscences and attitudes about their family tree. Through interviews with over 25 Jefferson and/or Hemings relatives, Lanier discovered that the "family's secret" had been kept by many families for generations. As social barriers relaxed in the last 30 years, Hemings family members have spoken up, articulating the oral history of their ancestry, researching their roots, and reflecting on the remarkable man and devoted servant from whom they originated. Through this collection of engaging contemporary testimonials and photographs of blacks and whites, young and old, Lanier sheds light not only on his own heritage but also on the understanding and pride that emerge when family history is explored.
Gerry Larson, Durham School of the Arts, NC