Illuminating an enigma of the past, this is the provocative continuation of the irrefutable chronicle of Sally Hemings—Thomas Jefferson’s mistress, the mother of his children, and the slave he would never set free, even when the scandal nearly cost him the presidency. Epic in proportion yet rendered in exquisite detail, this controversial story begins in 1822, recounting the tale of Harriet Hemings, Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings’ beautiful and headstrong slave daughter. Harriet is allowed to run away from Monticello and pass for white, as Jefferson had promised Sally their children would be able to do. Experiencing the turbulent events leading up to the American Civil War, Harriet eventually finds herself thrust into the very heart of the Battle of Gettysburg. Astonishing in its depiction of American history, this is an authentic and classic account of love and color in the United States. Includes a new reader's guide written especially for this edition.