US EditionAbraham Lincoln letter seeking job for Black friend and valet now on display at presidential museum
Lincoln wrote a letter seeking employment for his Black valet William Johnson, highlighting racial challenges among freed Black White House staffers, shortly after his 1861 inauguration.
- Abraham Lincoln wrote a letter seeking employment for his Black friend and valet William Johnson in 1861.
- The letter reveals issues of color within the White House, with lighter-skinned Black staffers shunning Johnson.
- For a president in the mid-19th century to advocate for a Black man's welfare is considered astounding.
28 Articles
28 Articles
Capitol Fa - Your Illinois News Radar » Abe Lincoln’s devotion to Black man highlighted in job-seeking letter recently donated to ALPLMCapitolFax.com
* ALPLM press release… The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum has obtained a letter written by Lincoln in the early days of his presidency, one that hints at the role that race and class played in White House operations and shows the limitations of presidential power at the time. In the letter, the new president asks [...]
Associated Press News
Abraham Lincoln letter seeking job for Black friend and valet now on display at presidential museum
An 1861 job-reference letter from Abraham Lincoln on behalf of a young Black friend and valet provides a glimpse of an extraordinary relationship the two had despite the demands the new president had undertaken.
Abraham Lincoln’s Handwritten Job Reference For Black Valet Goes On Display
TL;DR A recently donated handwritten letter by President Abraham Lincoln, written just weeks after his inauguration in 1861, sheds light on his empathy and integrity at a time when America stood on the brink of civil war. The short note, written on behalf of William Johnson, a young Black employee shunned by lighter-skinned colleagues, shows Lincoln personally seeking him employment—a remarkable act of compassion and equality for its time. A Pre…
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