| | Chronology of the Hemings Family | p. 11 |
| | Preface | p. 15 |
| | Introduction | p. 21 |
| | Origins | |
| | Young Elizabeth's World | p. 37 |
| | John Wayles: The Immigrant | p. 57 |
| | The Children of No One | p. 77 |
| | Thomas Jefferson | p. 91 |
| | The First Monticello | p. 111 |
| | In the Home of a Revolutionary | p. 131 |
| | The Vaunted Scene of Europe | |
| | "A Particular Purpose" | p. 153 |
| | James Hemings: The Provincial Abroad | p. 169 |
| | "Isabel or Sally Will Come" | p. 191 |
| | Dr. Sutton | p. 209 |
| | The Rhythms of the City | p. 224 |
| | The Eve of Revolution | p. 249 |
| | "During That Time" | p. 264 |
| | Sarah Hemings: The Fatherless Girl in a Patriarchal Society | p. 290 |
| | The Teenagers and the Woman | p. 308 |
| | "His Promises, on Which She Implicitly Relied" | p. 326 |
| | "The Treaty" and "Did they Love Each Other?" | p. 353 |
| | The Return | p. 376 |
| | On the Mountain | |
| | Hello and Goodbye | p. 397 |
| | Equilibrium | p. 414 |
| | The Brothers | p. 437 |
| | Philadelphia | p. 455 |
| | Exodus | p. 480 |
| | The Second Monticello | p. 504 |
| | "Measurably Happy": The Children of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings | p. 586 |
| | Into the Future, Echoes from the Past | p. 521 |
| | The Ocean of Life | p. 540 |
| | The Public World and the Private Domain | p. 562 |
| | Retirement for One, Not for All | p. 606 |
| | Endings and Beginnings | p. 629 |
| | Epilogue | p. 655 |
| | Acknowledgments | p. 663 |
| | Notes | p. 669 |
| | Selected Bibliography | p. 737 |
| | Index | p. 755 |