Critique of Dr Kurin’s 2026 Smithsonian DNA Study
John Hamilton Works Jr --a 7th-generation acknowledged lineal descendant of Thomas Jefferson and, for the past 9 years, an independent forensic genetic genealogy investigator of the Jefferson-Hemings paternity question--has prepared this assessment of Dr Richard Kurin's 2026 Smithsonian DNA study. In 8 pages, it measures the study against the forensic and genealogical standards a paternity claim is generally expected to meet--comparison against the competing candidates, disclosure of the underlying data, and independent peer review.
On each, it finds the study short--neither Randolph Jefferson nor the Carr nephews was sequenced, so the rival candidates are excluded by simulation rather than by DNA; the recovered Jefferson genome has not been deposited anywhere others can download it; and the scientific paper remains under review, with the book and the Smithsonian event having come first.
It also sets out what the study's own tables say, which is less than the 99% headline--the widely reported figure is the combined probability that Thomas Jefferson fathered either Madison or Eston Hemings, while for Eston alone the paper gives him 82.6% to 86.5% and leaves his brother Randolph 12% to 16%.
The assessment credits what the team achieved, and says clearly that it does not show Thomas Jefferson was not the father--only that, as of the September 2026 rollout, the study's central evidence cannot yet be examined by anyone outside their own research team.
The Jefferson–Hemings Paternity Question:
Historical Records and DNA Evidence
The question of whether Thomas Jefferson fathered children with Sally Hemings remains one of the most discussed issues in early American history. The 1998 Y-DNA study narrowed the field to the Jefferson male line, but historical conclusions require careful review of genetic findings, family records, documented timelines, and alternative paternity theories. A detailed overview of the scientific findings and their historical context is available in our Thomas Jefferson DNA Study (1998) review.
A petition currently pending in Nashville seeks additional evidentiary review to provide further insight into alternate theories of paternity or, as it may turn out, further confirmation of Thomas Jefferson’s paternity. The goal is to advance the search for historical accuracy through careful examination of available records and modern genetic tools.
For a centralized research archive compiling historical documents, family records, and DNA-related materials, see:
JEFFERSON VINDICATED
FALLACIES, OMISSIONS AND CONTRADICTIONS IN THE HEMINGS GENEALOGICAL SEARCH
If you thought DNA proved Thomas Jefferson fathered a child of his slave Sally Hemings, a local Virginia researcher sheds new light on the old legend. The reader is re-introduced to the president's younger brother, Randolph Jefferson, and his sons; new findings that focus on the infamous, yet inconclusive DNA; Jefferson's health and his activities; accounts of witnesses; origin of the myth; and the possibility that Sally Hemings children were fathered by other men carrying the Jefferson Y chromosome are discussed. For the first time this groundbreaking book is now available as a free download:
Purposes of the Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society
The Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society (TJHS) is a not for profit entity created in 2000 by a group of concerned businessmen, historians, genealogists, and scientists to undertake an independent and objective review of all the facts and circumstances surrounding the paternity of Sally Hemings’ children. The TJHS was formed by a cross section of citizens as a response to efforts by many historical revisionists to inaccurately portray Thomas Jefferson as a liar, fraud, hypocrite, and child molesting slave rapist. Several projects have been initiated to produce a more balanced examination of this issue. As enumerated in its Charter, the purposes of the TJHS are:
To further the honor and integrity of Thomas Jefferson, and to promote his vision and ideas and their application in our times and in the future.
To foster truth in all matters that touch upon the legacy of Thomas Jefferson.
To promote the principles of freedom, patriotism and truth which are the hallmarks of Thomas Jefferson's life.
To perform research in matters pertaining to the private and public life of Thomas Jefferson.
To stand always in opposition to those who would seek to undermine the integrity of Thomas Jefferson.