"And so it was that on a cold day in December, Thomas Jefferson, my master, gave me this journal to write in.

"I, a nigra servant." December 1819, pg. 9

"Leave. They want me to leave like my brother Tom. Let me get it down plain in case anybody reads this book after I get done writing in it. Tom ran off." April 1820, pg. 13

"I wondered if Thruston ever pondered on who his daddy might be. I think not. Notions like that don't worry him like they worry me." April 1820, pg. 21

"Hemings have been on Monticello ever since Mister Wayles died. Of the six children by John Wayles that Grandma Elizabeth brought here, the 'light Hemings' were Mama's brother Peter and sister Critta, who died. The master freed Mama's older brothers Robert and James. Although James went and killed himself a while back. Which shows what this freedom can do...