The Invisibles: The Untold Story of African American Slaves in the White House

A quick, informative history of a lamentable chapter in America’s past. Ten of the first 12 United States presidents were slave masters. Martha cherished Oney, and she was devastated when the woman fled from servitude. Although some slaves’ lives have been lost to history, Holland creates a vivid portrait of many, including William Lee, who worked as Washington’s 'body servant,' and Oney Judge, born at Mount Vernon, who was Martha Washington’s favorite. James Madison, convinced that slaves should not be freed into white America, founded the American Colonization Society, 'dedicated to freeing slaves and transporting them to the west coast of Africa.' James Monroe, Henry Clay, and Andrew Jackson also endorsed that idea. Several thousand freed slaves were sent to Liberia from 1820 to 1840; in honor of Monroe, the capital was renamed Monrovia. This is a useful first step toward a larger s

and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York City. Holland is the author of Black Men Built the Capitol: Discovering African American History In and Around Washington, D.C. Holland is a member of the National Press Club, the National Association of Black Journalists, the Capital Press Club, the Was

By reading about these relationships, readers will better understand some of the views that various presidents held about class and race in American society, and how these slaves contributed not only to the life and comforts of the presidents they served, but to America as a whole. THE INVISIBLES: Slavery Inside The White House and How It Helped Shape America is the first book to tell the story of the executive mansion’s most unexpected residents, the African American slaves who lived with the U.S. During these years, slaves were the only African Americans to whom the most powerful men in the United States were exposed on a daily, and familiar, basis. presidents who owned them. . Interest in African Americans and the White House are at an all-time high due to the historic presidency of Barack Obama, and the soon-to-be-opened Smithsonian National Museum of African American Culture and History. The Invisibles chronicles the African American presence inside the White House from its beginnings in 1782 until 1862, when President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that granted slaves their freedom

A good book for stories, not so much as history. I don't remember where I heard about this book, but I was excited to hear about it. The book is a pretty quick read, I managed to knock it out over the course of a couple of days. I do appreciate this book as it attempts to present an oft-unheard facet of U.S. history. I do not agree that everything in the book was "untold." While some of the information was new, a lot of it was a condensed version of narratives which could be found elsewhere.The book was also lacking in th. oregon reader said What a great find!. I love stories about unknown people who contributed to projects we know about. What's a bigger project than the White House and early America? Finally putting a name to some of the slaves, some of the people, who lived and helped our first Presidents is incredible. There are concrete stories that may change your mind a little about some of those Presidents. All through the book is woven freedom. The contradictory story of the Founding Fathers and how the early Presidents (e. Good Read, Important Book LFL8812 I really enjoyed this. It is well researched & well written & I learned a lot. It had never occurred to me that there had been slaves in the White House, I don't know why. It's obvious, when you think about it. There was one story that I was disappointed was missing, tho. I saw it on Finding Your Roots. My memory is no longer good & I can't remember a lot of the details. It was the ancestry of a young fella currently in the music industry. I had heard his name but do not ke