“Richard Kurin has provided in History by a Hair the most thorough scientific look at the centuries-old question of whether Thomas Jefferson fathered children with his slave Sally Hemings. A great contribution to Jefferson scholarship. It is difficult to put this book down.”—David M. Rubenstein, former chair of the Smithsonian Board of Regents and author of The American Story
“With astounding academic rigor, Richard Kurin follows Thomas Jefferson’s maxim ‘to follow truth wherever it may lead,’ as he and his team scientifically answer the paternity question. But herein is also a very human story, of families long divided and robbed of their ancestry.”—Leslie Greene Bowman, president emerita of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello and co-editor of Thomas Jefferson at Monticello: Architecture, Landscape, Collections, Books, Food, Wine
“History by a Hair is a captivating and deeply moving account of using science to answer the much-discussed historical question about the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. With clear and accessible prose, the science and history unfold like a riveting detective story that leaves readers with a conclusion we all can embrace.”—Annette Gordon-Reed, Harvard professor, author of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy and the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family
“Written with the gravitas of history and the pace of a thriller, Richard Kurin’s landmark account is vital and compelling. Anyone with an interest in Jefferson, American slavery, and the nature of the country—as well as those who believe in the efficacy of science and the pursuit of truth—will find this book invaluable.”—Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power
“Richard Kurin’s book is phenomenal, and coming during the 250th anniversary of America’s founding prompts a serious, obligatory invitation for reflection, discussion, and more complete agreement on the question of who is included in the statement ‘All men are created equal.’”—Johnnetta Cole, president emerita of Spelman and Bennett Colleges, former director of the National Museum of African Art, and author of Gender Talk: The Struggle for Women’s Equality in African American Communities
“Richard Kurin’s brilliant book is a spellbinding detective story that solves one of the towering puzzles of American history. It shows how science and deeply humanistic ideals can supercharge the study of our past and reminds us, above all, that we Americans are one great and glorious family.”—Michael Beschloss, author of Presidents of War
