The butler: a witness to history
Author:
Publisher:
37 Ink/Atria
Pub. Date:
2013
Edition:
First 37 Ink/Atria Books hardcover edition
Language:
English
Description
When acclaimed Washington Post writer 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 the Cuban missile crisis: 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 is finally forced to get 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 neighbors, friends, and family were contending with Jim Crow America. With a foreword by the Academy Award-nominated director Lee Daniels, The Butler also includes an essay, in the vein of James Baldwin's jewel The Devil Finds Work, that explores the story of black images on celluloid and in Hollywood, and fifty-seven pictures of Eugene Allen, his family, the presidents he served, and the remarkable cast of the movie.
Subjects
Subjects
African American household employees
African American household employees -- Biography
African Americans
African Americans -- Biography
African Americans -- Segregation -- History -- 20th century
African Americans in motion pictures
Allen, Eugene
Butlers
Butlers -- United States -- Biography
Election
History
Obama, Barack
Political aspects
Presidents
Presidents -- United States -- Election -- 2008
Presidents -- United States -- Staff -- Biography
Race relations
Race relations in motion pictures
Segregation
Staff
United States -- Race relations -- Political aspects
African American household employees -- Biography
African Americans
African Americans -- Biography
African Americans -- Segregation -- History -- 20th century
African Americans in motion pictures
Allen, Eugene
Butlers
Butlers -- United States -- Biography
Election
History
Obama, Barack
Political aspects
Presidents
Presidents -- United States -- Election -- 2008
Presidents -- United States -- Staff -- Biography
Race relations
Race relations in motion pictures
Segregation
Staff
United States -- Race relations -- Political aspects
More Details
ISBN:
9781476752990
Reviews from GoodReads
Loading GoodReads Reviews.
Staff View
Grouping Information
Grouped Work ID | 8233eced-d1ea-c631-53d0-6dedb8b267f2 |
---|---|
Grouping Title | butler a witness to history |
Grouping Author | wil haygood |
Grouping Category | book |
Grouping Language | English (eng) |
Last Grouping Update | 2024-05-01 07:25:03AM |
Last Indexed | 2024-05-03 22:38:39PM |
Solr Fields
accelerated_reader_point_value
0
accelerated_reader_reading_level
0
author
Haygood, Wil
author_display
Haygood, Wil
display_description
When acclaimed Washington Post writer 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 the Cuban missile crisis: 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 is finally forced to get 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 neighbors, friends, and family were contending with Jim Crow America. With a foreword by the Academy Award-nominated director Lee Daniels, The Butler also includes an essay, in the vein of James Baldwin's jewel The Devil Finds Work, that explores the story of black images on celluloid and in Hollywood, and fifty-seven pictures of Eugene Allen, his family, the presidents he served, and the remarkable cast of the movie.
format_category_eh
Books
format_eh
Book
id
8233eced-d1ea-c631-53d0-6dedb8b267f2
isbn
9781476752990
itype_eh
ADULT BOOK
LEAP 28 Day Book
LEAP 28 Day Book
last_indexed
2024-05-04T04:38:39.185Z
lexile_score
-1
literary_form
Non Fiction
literary_form_full
Non Fiction
primary_isbn
9781476752990
publishDate
2013
publisher
37 Ink/Atria
recordtype
grouped_work
subject_facet
African American household employees -- Biography
African Americans -- Biography
African Americans -- Segregation -- History -- 20th century
African Americans in motion pictures
Allen, Eugene
Butlers -- United States -- Biography
Obama, Barack
Presidents -- United States -- Election -- 2008
Presidents -- United States -- Staff -- Biography
Race relations in motion pictures
United States -- Race relations -- Political aspects
African Americans -- Biography
African Americans -- Segregation -- History -- 20th century
African Americans in motion pictures
Allen, Eugene
Butlers -- United States -- Biography
Obama, Barack
Presidents -- United States -- Election -- 2008
Presidents -- United States -- Staff -- Biography
Race relations in motion pictures
United States -- Race relations -- Political aspects
title_display
The butler : a witness to history
title_full
The butler : a witness to history / Wil Haygood
title_short
The butler
title_sub
a witness to history
topic_facet
African American household employees
African Americans
African Americans in motion pictures
Allen, Eugene
Butlers
Election
History
Obama, Barack
Political aspects
Presidents
Race relations
Race relations in motion pictures
Segregation
Staff
African Americans
African Americans in motion pictures
Allen, Eugene
Butlers
Election
History
Obama, Barack
Political aspects
Presidents
Race relations
Race relations in motion pictures
Segregation
Staff
Solr Details Tables
item_details
Bib Id | Item Id | Shelf Loc | Call Num | Format | Format Category | Num Copies | Is Order Item | Is eContent | eContent Source | eContent URL | Detailed Status | Last Checkin | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ils:.b22878695 | .i48696766 | Norwich/Otis Adult Biographies | BIO ALLEN | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | nwab | |||||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48804721 | Branford/Blackstone Adult Biography | BIO.ALLEN (EUGENE) | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | brab | |||||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48825074 | West Haven Main Adult Biography | B ALLEN [EUGENE] | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | wmab | |||||
ils:.b22878695 | .i4895746x | Meriden Adult Biography | BIO ALLEN, E | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | meab | |||||
ils:.b22878695 | .i4884956x | North Haven Adult Nonfiction | 973.92 Haygood | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | nhan | |||||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48760638 | East Lyme Public Adult Biography | B ALLEN, EUGENE (Haygood) | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | elab | |||||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48793000 | Orange/Case Adult Biography | Biography ALLEN [Eugene] Haygood | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | orab | |||||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48719286 | Guilford Adult Non-Fiction | 973.92 HAYGOOD | 1 | false | false | Missing | guan | |||||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48780455 | Ledyard/Gales Ferry Nonfiction | 973.9209 Hay | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | lgan | |||||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48820143 | Madison/Scranton Adult Nonfiction | 973.92 ALLEN H | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | maan | |||||
ils:.b22878695 | .i4867493x | Westbrook Adult Non-Fiction | B ALLEN | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | wsan | |||||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48684983 | Woodbridge Adult Biography | B ALLEN (EUGENE) | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | wdab | |||||
ils:.b22878695 | .i57013962 | New London Adult Non Fiction | B ALLEN | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | nlan | |||||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48825062 | West Haven Main Adult Biography | B ALLEN [EUGENE] | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | wmab | |||||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48763950 | New London Adult Non Fiction | B ALLEN | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | nlan |
record_details
Bib Id | Format | Format Category | Edition | Language | Publisher | Publication Date | Physical Description | Abridged |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ils:.b22878695 | Book | Books | First 37 Ink/Atria Books hardcover edition | English | 37 Ink/Atria | 2013 | xii, 96 pages, [32] pages of plates : illustrations (some color) ; 20 cm |
scoping_details_eh
Bib Id | Item Id | Grouped Status | Status | Locally Owned | Available | Holdable | Bookable | In Library Use Only | Library Owned | Holdable PTypes | Bookable PTypes | Local Url |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ils:.b22878695 | .i48696766 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48804721 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48825074 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b22878695 | .i4895746x | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b22878695 | .i4884956x | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48760638 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48793000 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48719286 | Currently Unavailable | Missing | false | false | false | false | false | false | |||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48780455 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48820143 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b22878695 | .i4867493x | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48684983 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b22878695 | .i57013962 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48825062 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b22878695 | .i48763950 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 |