Learning Objective:
Students will choose and describe an object that has personal significance to them. This activity connects to a FRONTLINE Internet showcase of artifacts and symbols submitted from high school students around the country.

Background
With no drawings, documentation or renderings of her likeness, the descendants of Sally Hemings have only a single possession as evidence of her existence--a small bell given to Sally as a child. Today, this bell is on display at Monticello and is often seen as a symbol of Sally Hemings' place in American history.

Much like Sally's bell, cherished heirlooms or simple everyday objects can serve as personal symbols of our individual identities. Encourage students to find their own symbols and explore the stories and meaning behind them. You can display these mementos along with those submitted by students from around the country at the student gallery on the "Jefferson's Blood" Web site. This Web showcase will serve as a living visual essay on contemporary attitudes of race, heritage, culture, tradition, family and identity.

Begin by asking students to think about and analyze Sally's bell. What does it mean to them?

1. Ask students the following questions to stimulate their thinking about symbols that represent them: "Have you ever been told you resemble a relative you never met? Or, that you have a sense of humor like your grandfather? Do you know why your family follows or has converted from a certain religion? Were your ancestors involved in a major historical event? How are you connected culturally to your neighborhood?"

2. Students should make a short list of words they use to describe themselves or the groups to which they belong. Do these traits relate to their past in any way, and the history of their family or other group?

3. Ask students to think about the sights, sounds, and smells associated with their home or community and add these to their list. Ask "Do any of the items on your list remind you of a special memory or a story passed down by your elders? Do any of the items represent a special part of you?"

4. Ask students the following question: "If you could only be remembered by one object, what would it be and why?" Encourage them to be creative, considering valuables, documents, antiques or ordinary household items.

For inspiration, browse other students' submissions at the online student gallery. Some examples already submitted to the FRONTLINE Web site include: a grandfather's paintbrushes, an old journal, family photographs, and recipes handed down throughout the generations. One student describes a journal that belonged to his great-grandfather in a poem entitled "Book of History": Have your students write or tell a story describing the document or object and why it holds personal significance to them. Descriptions can include short narratives, poetry, essays, or multi-media presentations.

Select projects for submission to the FRONTLINE gallery or have students vote for their five favorites from the class. Submissions should be titled and include a brief description (fewer than 200 words) explaining their significance. FRONTLINE staff will review submissions and select the most lively symbols and stories for posting on the "Jefferson's Blood" Web site. Submissions become the property of FRONTLINE.

Take a digital picture of each entry and submit via e-mail to Outreach_Frontline@wgbh.org or send on diskette or CD-ROM via U.S. mail to:

Outreach Coordinator
FRONTLINE
125 Western Avenue
Boston, MA 02134 Please do not send original work, as submissions cannot be returned.

Students will explore the concept of historical restitution and determine whether any compensation ought to be made to the Hemings family.

It is now known that Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings had a relationship for more than twenty years and had as many as five children together. Living descendants of Jefferson and Hemings occupy a unique place in America. Their personal stories are shaped by generations of searching or denial and are often characterized by alienation and injury. Some embrace their ancestry, while others refuse to acknowledge it.

Discussion
Ask students the following questions:
Now that the evidence is clear regarding Jefferson's relationship with Sally Hemings, what kind of recognition ought to be extended to Sally Hemings and the Jefferson-Hemings descendants? What kind of recognition should be given to Sally Hemings in history textbooks? At Monticello?

Several nations have extended an apology and/or financial compensation to those who have suffered under previous state-sanctioned acts. Native American tribes that suffered the loss of their land in the time of westward expansion have benefits extended to them by the U.S. government. Japanese-Americans who were detained during World War II have sought restitution. Currently, victims and their descendants who suffered in the Holocaust are seeking restitution. Should any type of historical restitution be paid to the descendants of Jefferson and Hemings? Why? Why not?

Books:
American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson, by Joseph Ellis An analysis of Jefferson the thinker, the politician, and the private man. Ellis searches for the "living, breathing person" underneath the icon and tries to identify his actual beliefs.

Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, by Annette Gordon-Reed A presentation of the pre-DNA evidence on the relationship between Jefferson and Hemings. Gordon-Reed analyzes the way the topic has been treated by historians throughout American history.

The Sweeter the Juice, by Shirley Haizlip In this memoir, Haizlip traces six generations of her family and discovers individuals who lived as blacks and those who assimilated into white society. Her search ultimately reunites two sisters--one "white," the other "black"--after seventy-six years. The book is an examination of mixed unions and the interplay between race and skin color.

Finding a Place Called Home: An African-American Guide to Genealogy and Historical Identity, by Dee Parmer Woodtor. A comprehensive guide to tracing African-American roots. Instructs the reader on how to research census reports, slave schedules, property deeds, and courthouse records.

Films:
Thomas Jefferson, produced by Ken Burns This four-hour film, originally broadcast on PBS and available at most public libraries, probes deeply into the personal and public lives of Thomas Jefferson. Many Jefferson scholars are featured.

Web Sites:
Monticello Web site:
Jefferson's home is a repository of books, letters, and manuscripts written by and about him. This site has large amounts of information, including information on the DNA studies on Jefferson-Hemings descendants. Many links to other resources as well. A very good place to start research on Jefferson.

For researching African ancestry, use Afrigeneas.

writer: Dan Beaupre.

This teacher's guide was created with input from the following advisors: Al Doyle, director of Internet Training,Thirteen/WNET, Lou Frederick, high school Social Studies teacher, Brooklyn, New York, James Horton, professor of American Studies and History, George Washington University, Harry Rubenstein, National Museum of American History, Herbert Sloan, professor of History, Barnard College, and Anne Kaplan and Simone Bloom Nathan of Media Education Consultants.

Special thanks to Florence McGinn, Hunterdon Central Regional High School, Flemington, New Jersey.