History by a Hair

A tiny and easily overlooked item—a single hair—unexpectedly discovered in one of the great treasures of a vast museum collection leads the author on a quest to solve one of the most long-standing, highly debated mysteries of American history.

A team of outstanding scientists, historians, genealogists, and anthropologists over the course of fifteen years use the most innovative methods of documentary, forensic, and DNA research to follow the evidentiary trail in pursuit of the truth. Along the way the team encounters and overcomes numerous challenges, invents new techniques, and makes new discoveries and startling breakthroughs. The results are not only revealing of America’s national past but also provide meaningful insights for bringing people together today, especially those inheritors of a contested historical legacy.

This is a frank, lively, and stirringly readable account of how exemplary researchers go about their work in a high-stakes, complex environment, enlisting the most sophisticated science while demonstrating respect for those people involved.

The author is a distinguished scholar who has written multiple acclaimed books on American history.