Two descendants of President Thomas Jefferson and his slave Sally Hemmings will visit The University of Memphis Saturday to discuss race relations in America.
The descendants, Julia Jefferson -- a businesswoman and former educator who is white and Shay Banks-Young -- a health trainer who is African-American, will hold an open dialogue on their differences and similarities.
The event will start at 10 a.m. in the University Center's Faulkner Lounge.
The theme of the discussion is "The Affairs of Race in America: A Conversation in Black and White."
Anthropology major Lillique Ford said the forum would be interesting, but the topic is nothing new to her.
"It is not a surprise to me -- Jefferson's relationship with a slave," Ford said. "Masters and slave women did have sexual relations and they did bear children. Blacks during slavery had no way to refuse their masters. The women were for sexual pleasure."
The allegations of Jefferson bearing children with his slave Sally Hemmings began in 1802 as an attack on the president by a drunk named James Callender.
Callender, a disappointed job-seeker, accused Jefferson of fathering illegitimate children by one of his slaves.
Jefferson did not respond to the charges and eventually the scandal died down.
Hemmings was also the half-sister of Jefferson's late wife, Martha.
Recently, the British journal "Nature" presented the results of scientific tests that show a conclusive DNA match between a male descendant of Hemmings and another man who can trace his lineage to Jefferson's paternal uncle.
According to the journal, advances in mapping the Y chromosome, which confers maleness on embryos, allows scientists now to consider DNA matches as virtual proof positive of genetic linkage.
The evidence of linkage strongly suggests Jefferson bore children with Hemmings.
Historians believe their relationship may have lasted for 38 years.
The story was kept alive through word of mouth among Hemming's family members.
In James Parton's "Life of Thomas Jefferson," the paternity of Hemming's offsprings was thought to be of Jefferson's nephew, Peter Carr, son of Jefferson's sister.
Student Activities Council event planner Anthony Perry said the discussion is free and open to the public.
"SAC is sponsoring the event," Perry said. "Everyone is welcome to come -- the event is open to the public."
