Cover of History by a Hair

History by a Hair

by Richard Kurin

Featured on

Book of the Day, NPR · October 6, 2026

In 'History by a Hair,' DNA offers answers to an old question about Thomas Jefferson

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A detailed account of a 15-year investigation into whether Thomas Jefferson fathered children with Sally Hemings, a woman he held in slavery, using DNA evidence found in strands of hair from Jefferson's personal Bible.

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