Podcast America’s Irish Roots
Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States, sits down with White House Historical Association president Stewart McLaurin...
Main Content
Slavery and the White House
Construction on the President's House began in 1792 in Washington, D.C., a new capital situated in sparsely settled region far from a major population center. The decision to place the capital on land ceded by two pro-slavery states-Virginia and Maryland-ultimately influenced the acquisition of laborers to construct its public buildings. The D.C. commissioners, charged by Congress with building the new city under the direction of the president, initially planned to import workers from Europe to meet their labor needs. However, response to recruitment was dismal and soon they turned to African Americans—both slave and free—to provide the bulk of labor that built the White House, the United States Capitol, and other early government buildings.
Stonemason Collen Williamson trained enslaved people on the spot at the government's quarry at Aquia, Virginia. Enslaved people quarried and cut the rough stone that was later dressed and laid by Scottish masons to erect the walls of the President's House. The slaves joined a work force that included local white laborers and artisans from Maryland and Virginia, as well as immigrants from Ireland, Scotland, and other European nations.
Construction on the President’s House began in 1792. The decision to place the capital on land ceded by two slave states—Virginia and Maryland—ultimately influenced the acquisition of laborers to construct its public buildings.
Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States, sits down with White House Historical Association president Stewart McLaurin...
Just steps away from the White House stands the Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building, also known as the EEOB,...
Over 200 years ago, James Hoban left Ireland for America to pursue his dream of becoming an architect. Selected by President...
Charleston holds hints and clues to the formative years of the ambitious young Irishman James Hoban and his dream to...
Following in the footsteps of the original White House designer and builder, James Hoban, we talk to a new generation...
Since the laying of the cornerstone in 1792, Freemasons have played an important role in the construction and the history of...
James Hoban came from humble beginnings as a young carpenter and architect in Ireland, and went on to collaborate with...
In 1821-1822, Susan Decatur requested the construction of a service wing. The first floor featured a large kitchen, dining room,...
During the administration of President Harry S. Truman, the White House underwent a renovation and expansion so extensive, it changed...
First Lady Lou Hoover's invitation to Jessie L. DePriest to a White House tea party in 1929 created a storm of...
James Hoban's life is a memorable Irish-American success story. In his boyhood he learned the craft of carpenter and wheelwright,...
Since the White House was first occupied by President John Adams in 1800, influential people and organizations—or those who hoped to...