At the expansive Monticello Estate in Virginia, there sits a simple room with white walls, brick floors and a single silhouette that represents the life of Sally Hemings, one of Thomas Jefferson's more than 600 slaves. Presidential estates have long struggled with how to present the founding era exceptionalism along with the full history. The latest installation at Monticello, the Sally Hemming's exhibit, gives the most personal look yet at a shameful chapter in American history. The exhibit takes a definitive stance on her relationship with Thomas Jefferson and the children they had together. A story once hidden now has the spotlight. Lucian Truscott is Jefferson's sixth-great-grandson. Shannon Lanier is also Jefferson's sixth-great-grandson — but from Hemings' side. As a Jefferson descendant, Truscott said he was given run of Monticello, even jumping on his ancestor's bed. Lanier's story is a little different. "Because we were studying the presidents in second grade, I … [Read more...] about Thomas Jefferson’s descendants unite over a troubled past
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Is “slow love” the key to a lasting relationship?
On this Valentine's Day, new research shows a revolution is in the works when it comes to finding love that lasts. The concept is called "slow love." "Marriage used to be the beginning of a relationship. Now it's the finale," biological anthropologist Helen Fisher said Thursday on "CBS This Morning." In her annual study with Match.com, Fisher saw signs of a new approach to the courtship process. From a national sample of more than 35,000 single adults, 66 percent said they've had one-night stands, 54 percent have had uncommitted friends-with-benefits relationships, and 56 percent said they've lived together with a partner before marriage. "What's really happening is we're seeing an extension of the pre-commitment stage of love," Fisher said. "And Americans seem to think that this is reckless, and it began to occur to me it's caution. These people want to know every single thing about a person before they tie the knot." "One of the main strategies is they first start out with just … [Read more...] about Is “slow love” the key to a lasting relationship?
Alfonso Cuarón channeled the trauma from his father’s departure into “Roma”
The Academy Awards are just 10 days away and "Roma," a black and white foreign film with a largely unknown cast, has become an unlikely Oscar front-runner. The movie is up for 10 awards, including nominations for best director and original screenplay for Alfonso Cuarón, a celebrated director known for critically acclaimed films like "Gravity", "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" and "Children of Men." He took a deeply personal and semi-autobiographical approach to "Roma," looking back at his youth in Mexico City where he was raised by a single mother and their selfless housekeeper. When Cuarón's father left, his family struggled to remain whole. He channeled those emotions into the film. "It was not necessarily a pleasant period in my life and maybe it's a period that created fears that lasted for many years," he told CBS News' Jamie Yuccas. "I think the core of it is pretty universal because at the end, the film deals with this shared experience of loneliness … [Read more...] about Alfonso Cuarón channeled the trauma from his father’s departure into “Roma”
Colleges launch yearbook audits amid Virginia governor scandal
Charlottesville, Va. — The governor of Virginia postponed an event Wednesday celebrating Black History Month as he deals with the fallout from a racist yearbook photo. The scandal has prompted schools across the country to page through their histories — and re-examine campus culture. Pouring through the University of Virginia's old yearbooks, history professor Kirt von Daacke is uncovering countless examples of blackface and other mockery of minorities. From fraternity parties to demeaning caricatures, it takes various forms. Yet, one image he cannot get out of his mind is a mock lynching from a yearbook published in 1971. "You have a bearded white man who appears to be in blackface and hung from a tree," von Daack said. "This is a horrifying image, I can't imagine why anyone would want to put this in a yearbook, but given the history, I was not surprised." Von Daacke co-chairs the school's commission on segregation — part of an expanding campus effort to … [Read more...] about Colleges launch yearbook audits amid Virginia governor scandal
Three women share the role of Cher on Broadway. They call it “Cherapy.”
The life story of legendary singer and actress Cher has been given the Broadway treatment. It's called "The Cher Show" and the lead role is played by three actresses whose names represent the different stages of Cher's life: Star, Lady and Babe, portrayed by Stephanie J. Block, Teal Wicks and Micaela Diamond, respectively. "CBS This Morning" co-host Gayle King met with the ladies of the show and Cher herself, who opened up about the joys and challenges of bringing her story to the stage. "I didn't know what I was getting into … I didn't know that when you're telling the person about your life, and you're sitting there and you're kibitzing and all that, and then, all of a sudden, you go there and you see in real time, in real life, what you went through," Cher said. Cher is a producer on the show, and gave her feedback up until opening night. At the beginning, she wasn't happy with how it turned out. Wicks said, "It came down to, OK, well, we are here together on this … [Read more...] about Three women share the role of Cher on Broadway. They call it “Cherapy.”