Ira R. T. Smith Sorts Mail in the White House Mail Room

This black-and-white photograph shows Ira R. T. Smith sorting mail in the White House Mail Room in 1938. Smith served nine presidents during his 50 year career in the White House Mail Room. He started as a mail clerk during the William McKinley administration, and retired as the chief of mails during the Henry S. Truman administration in 1948. Smith's duties included inspecting mail for safety, reading letters addressed to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, and selecting messages to pass on to members of the first family or significant government officials. Smith documented his experiences in his memoir "Dear Mr. President," originally published in 1949.