I am constantly annoyed by people using the results of my research on
Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings and their Slave Children without
giving me credit for it. Here is one example:
In 1995, I was living with Arden Van Upp at 2550 Webster Street in San
Francisco on Pacific Heights. Arden compiled a weekly directory of
parties and events which she sold online.
Arden informed me of an event that was taking place at the San
Francisco Bar Association where an expert on the life of Thomas
Jefferson would perform an imitation of Thomas Jefferson. Since I had
written and published a book entitled "The Slave Children of Thomas
Jefferson", Arden recommended that I attend this event, which I did.
The performance was given by a man named Jacobson. He dressed in a
costume of the type that Thomas Jefferson wore, he wore the same type
of shoes that Thomas Jefferson wore and he spoke in the manner and
style of Thomas Jefferson. He was asked questions as though he
actually was Thomas Jefferson and gave the answers that he felt that
Thomas Jefferson would have given had he been there.
The audience was impressive. Included were a number of prominent
members of the San Francisco Bar plus the Judge Montali, the very
judge on the Arden Van Upp Bankruptcy case. I introduced myself to
Judge Montali and explained to him that although I always sat in the
back row of his courtroom, I was the one actually running the case and
telling the highly paid lawyers what to do.
However, my questions to Jacobson revealed that he knew nothing, zero,
about Thomas Jefferson's relations with his slaves. Finally, I showed
Mr. Jacobson a copy of my book, which I had brought with me.
Mr. Jacobson seemed interested in my book and said that he wanted to
buy it. I told him that the price was $15. He said that he did not
have the money with him, but he would send me the money in the mail.
Based upon this promise, I gave him the book and also gave him my
address to which he could send me the fifteen dollars.
I never heard from Mr. Jacobson again. He never sent me the $15.
About one year later the Ken Burns do***entary "Thomas Jefferson" came
out on PBS. And, there he was, the same Mr. Jacobson wearing the same
Thomas Jefferson outfit and the same shoes, only this time he had a
different story to tell. In the Ken Burns do***entary, he was now
introduced as the expert and authority on the relations between Thomas
Jefferson and his slaves, especially Sally. More im****tantly, now, Mr.
Jacobson agreed with everything I wrote. In fact, in the do***entary,
he was just reading what I wrote. Every word uttered by Mr. Jacobson
was exactly, word for word, what I had written in my book, "The Slave
Children of Thomas Jefferson". Nevertheless, he made no mention of my
book, pretending that these words were his own.
I remember the name of Mr. Jacobson because that is my mother's maiden
name. However, in my brief conversation with him I was able to
determine that we are not relatives. I am still angry that he did not
even pay me the $15 he promised to pay, plus to add insult to injury
he used the exact words in my book without giving me credit for them.
Sam Sloan
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000BITUJS/slavesofthomasje
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/4906574009/slavesofthomasje
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