Monticello estate is seemingly finished with avoiding Jefferson’s relationship with Hemings, with a new exhibit shedding light on the realities of slavery, as well as the truth behind Hemings. The discovery of Hemings’ room also allowed for the public to see the real, human side. Niya Bates, historian, remarked that the room would “portray her outside of the mystery” – no longer a topic of debate and speculation, but as the living, breathing woman she was.

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The exhibit seeks to bring life to a woman who was constantly linked to the drama of Jefferson’s life, not to mention terrible rumours and scandalous gossip. “She was a mother, a sister, an ancestor for her descendants (pictured), and [the room’s presentation] will really just shape her as a person and give her a presence outside of the wonder of their relationship,” Bates stated. Before the room was discovered, Sally’s name was never mentioned, and tours skimmed briefly over Jefferson’s love life, merely noting that he widowed a relatively young man.