On July 4, 1826 — exactly fifty years after the Declaration of Independence — Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died within hours of one another. In 1776, they were allies. In the age of partisanship, they became bitter rivals. In retirement, they picked up the pen again and worked it out on the remix. As you prepare for the moment that is America’s 250th anniversary, take our Founding Friends, Founding Foes Tour to explore their complicated relationship and what it reveals about the birth of Amer

The fact that Thomas Jefferson had children with his slave Sally Hemmings was denied by Jefferson's family for almost 2 centuries–until DNA evidence confirmed it. A descendent of Jefferson and Hemmings learns the details of the story. A new episode of One Thousand Years of Slavery airs this Monday at 8 PM. #1000YearsOfSlavery | Smithsonian Channel