A DNA analysis of Thomas Jefferson's hair by the Smithsonian indicates he had children with his slave, Sally Hemings. ​​​​​​American Heritage was widely attacked in 1972 when it presented evidence of their relationship. 

Now, hat we were right.

American Heritage was widely attacked in 1972 when it presented evidence that Jefferson had children with his slave, Sally Hemings. Now, a DNA analysis of his hair by the Smithsonian proves that we were right.

American Heritage shocked the historical community when it published an essay by Fawn Brodie in its June 1972 issue presenting evidence that Thomas Jefferson fathered children by a slave he owned, Sally Hemings. Readers were outraged and for months the magazine's offices were inundated with letters.

There had been occasional rumors of the affair during Jefferson's lifetime, and long after this death some of Sally's children claimed Jefferson was their father. But Professor Brody noted that "Jefferson biographers... have almost unanimously denounced the stories as libelous."

In fact, in the 1970s there was continued discussion of "the great Jefferson Taboo" and "the spectacle of ever-increasing numbers of pages devoted to its refutation."

DNA in a hair of Jefferson's