Paradox of Liberty: Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello
Paradox of Liberty shares the stories of six enslaved families at Monticello as well as examines the life of Sally Hemings, the enslaved woman who bore Jefferson six children. Our one-hour online program includes audience Q&A.
Distinguished Guest Speakers
Gayle Jessup White
Monticello Public Relations & Community Engagement Officer
Gayle Jessup White is a descendant of two enslaved families at Monticello, the Hemingses and the Hubbards, and of Thomas Jefferson. The Public Relations and Community Engagement Officer at Monticello, she has written and spoken extensively about her work at Monticello and her family's ties to Thomas Jefferson, his extended family and the enslaved community.
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation hired Gayle Jessup White to help improve the way in which the story of slavery at the plantation is told. Gayle Jessup White spent four decades of her life exploring her connection to Thomas Jefferson, a passion born out of her family's oral history that they were his direct descendants.
Emilie Johnson, PH.D.
Monticello Associate Curator
Emilie Johnson, Ph.D., is an Associate Curator at Monticello. Dr. Johnson's research focuses on the architecture and material culture of plantations, using spaces and objects to better understand how people conducted their lives in the past.
At Monticello, she concentrates on the lived experiences of women and enslaved people, with a particular interest in those who occupied the house as dependents. She earned her doctorate at The University of Virginia.
With Appreciation
