The glowing eyes on Market Street represent the hidden history of Thomas Jefferson’s enslaved valet, Robert Hemmings
The Declaration House, where Thomas Jefferson wrote the constitution, at 700 Market Street in Philadelphia on Friday, July 12, 2024. Thomas Jefferson didn't write the Declaration of Independence cooped up in the Declaration House all by himself, he was accompanied by his enslaved manservant, Robert Hemings.
“When you look into the eyes of a camera, you don’t only see your reflection, but the eyes of your ancestors,” she said., former television anchor and the first public relations and community engagement officer at the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. Clark asked her for help in securing photos of eyes of Hemings’ family members. White put her in touch withthat preserves the history of enslaved families of Monticello.