The Butler: A Witness to History

by Wil Haygood

When acclaimed Washington Postwriter Wil Haygood had an early hunch that Obama would win the 2008 election, he thought he'd highlight the singular moment by exploring the life of someone who had come of age when segregation was so widespread, so embedded in the culture as to make the very thought of a black president inconceivable. He struck gold when he tracked down Eugene Allen, a butler who had served no fewer than eight presidents, from Harry Truman to Ronald Reagan. During his thirty-four years of service, Allen became what the Independent described as a "discreet stagehand who for three decades helped keep the show running in the most important political theatre of all."

While serving tea and supervising buffets, Allen was also a witness to history as decisions about America's most momentous events were being made. Here he is at the White House while Kennedy contemplates a moon landing; here he is again when Kennedy's widow returns from that fateful day in Dallas. Here he is when Johnson and his cabinet debate Vietnam and here he is again when Ronald Reagan finally got tough on apartheid. Perhaps hitting closest to home was the Civil Rights legislation that was developed, often with passions flaring, right in front of his eyes even as his own community of neighbours, friends and family were contending with Jim Crow America.

Also included in the book is an essay in the vein of James Baldwin's jewel, The Devil Finds Work,that explores the history of black people in Hollywood as well as over 45 pictures of the butler, Eugene Allen, and his family, the Presidents he served, and the remarkable cast.

• ISBN10: 1476752990
• ISBN13: 9781476752990
• Publish Date: 15 August 2013 (first published 30 July 2013)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 17 February 2016
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: 37 Ink
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 112
• Language: English

Reviews

[Ace]

It was enjoyable. I will give you that. It says 'A mesmerising inquiry into the life of Eugene Allen...' Therefore you'd think I'd be forgiven for thinking it was about HIS life right? Instead it seems to be more about the authors quest into finding information about him and how the movie was made. Like I said, enjoyable but just not what I expected. Also VERY short.