Enslaved Labor in the White House - White House Collection

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George Washington, 1797

Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828)

Oil on Canvas

This painting of George Washington by portraitist Gilbert Stuart is one of the most famous pieces in the White House Collection—but it was almost destroyed when British troops burned the White House in 1814. Although Dolley Madison often receives credit for saving the portrait, her enslaved servant Paul Jennings tells a different story. In his memoir, A Colored Man’s Reminiscences of James Madison—considered the first White House staff memoir—Jennings explained that although Mrs. Madison ordered the painting’s removal, staff members including Steward Jean-Pierre Sioussat and Gardener Thomas McGraw (sometimes called McGrath) actually saved the portrait, breaking the painting from the frame and saving the canvas. Jennings’ memoir provides insight into the presence of enslaved and free workers at one of the most important moments in White House history.

White House Collection/White House Historical Association

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Silver Trunk, ca. 1817

J. P. Shriner & Co.

Wood and Brass

Many early presidential households relied upon enslaved butlers, waiters, and cooks. Silver cutlery and other pieces of tableware may have been handled, cleaned, and cared for by enslaved workers owned by different presidents. The use of silver trunks not only protected these pieces from dirt and dust while not in use—it also kept them away from anyone who might steal the valuables inside. An 1844 newspaper article chronicles the robbery of “silver table and teaspoons” at the White House, implicating a “colored servant belonging to” President John Tyler and another Black servant named Mary Murphy. Theft was a form of resistance for enslaved people, as extra income could be used to purchase food, tools, or even passage to freedom. These actions were risky. If caught, it could lead to punishment. In the case of John Tyler’s servants, it does not appear that Mary or the unnamed servant were charged with a crime, but they may have been punished in other ways.

White House Historical Association

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Dressing Chest of Drawers, ca. 1865-1870

Unknown

Rosewood, rosewood veneer/oak, pine, tulip poplar; mirror glass; brass

Mirrors are not only decorative items. They also provide a way to see oneself, often serving a role in morning routines such as getting dressed, shaving, or applying makeup. This dressing chest with a mirror likely came to the White House during the presidency of Andrew Johnson, but Johnson’s appearance was not solely his own responsibility. William Andrew Johnson, born into slavery in the Johnson household, served as President Johnson’s valet for many years.

Valets serve a critical and intimate role in the White House, caring for a president’s wardrobe, assisting with shaving and other grooming routines, traveling with the president, and providing any other assistance as needed. Although Andrew and Eliza Johnson emancipated William and the other enslaved servants they held in bondage before President Lincoln’s assassination, William continued to work in their household, coming to the White House with him in 1865.

White House Historical Association

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About this Gallery

Explore the stories of enslaved workers at the White House through closer examination of several objects in the collection.