My Thirty Years Backstairs at the White HouseThis is the combined biography of two domestic servants, a mother and her daughter, each of whom worked for thirty years in the White House. In 1909, he mother was hired by President Taft, who was the first president ever to allow a Black person to enter the White House. She worked in the White House until 1939. Her daughter was hired by President Hoover in 1929 and she worked there until the final days of the Eisenhower Administration in 1959. This book should be required reading for every serious student of American history. The authors were eye witnesses to some of the great events of history and offer different prospectives from that found elsewhere. For example, we learn that when Calvin Coolidge announced in 1927 that he did not intend to run for re-election, he was playing hard-to-get. He believed that the people would insist that he accept a third term of office. He expected to be drafted. He actually wanted a third term in office. Coolidge was disappointed when Herbert Hoover was nominated as he disagreed with Hoover's ideas and policies. We learn that in the last year and a half of the presidency of President Woodrow Wilson, he had to be wheeled around the White House in a wheel chair and was often engaged in "sickbed rambling." When Franklin D. Roosevelt took office as president, he was an invalid, confined to a wheelchair. Few Americans knew this and elaborate means were devised to make it appear that Roosevelt was robust and healthy. Whenever he was to speak, railings were created beside where he was to be standing. This was done so that it would appear that FDR was walking, taking a few steps up to the speaker's podium, when in reality the handrails were holding him up and he was dragging his feet a short distance to create the illusion that he was walking. Also, Roosevelt was dependent on his mother, Sara Delano, who had all the money and controlled his finances. |
Contents
TO HELP YOU GET THE PICTURE | 9 |
THE HARDLUCK MRS HARDING | 11 |
IF THERES ANYTHING IVE LEARNED | 28 |
Copyright | |
15 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
administration Alice Roosevelt Longworth arrived asked backstairs bedroom Bess Truman Blair House brought butler called Charlie Taft clothes cook Coolidge crutches daughter dinner dogs Dolley Madison door dress East Room Eisenhower Eleanor Emmett everything favorite feel felt friends funny gave ghost gown guests hall happened Harding Harry Truman heard Helen Taft Hoover housekeeper houseman husband Hyde Park jinx keep kitchen knew Lady laugh Lillian Lincoln bed linen room little girl live look loved Maggie maid Mama Mama's Mamie Mamie Eisenhower Margaret married Miss mother never night once party person pink powder room President's Queen remember Rose Secret Service Secretary sent servants someone stayed story Taft Taft's talk Teddy Roosevelt tell things third floor thought told took trying turned valet waiting walk wanted Washington wear White House wife Wilson woman