Photograph of White House butlers in repose
date: label: Date
content: 1968
name: label: Photograph by
content: Unidentified
label: Subject of
content: Eugene Allen, American, 1919 - 2010
label: Subject of
content: John Johnson, American
label: Subject of
content: John Woodson Ficklin, American, 1919 - 1984
label: Subject of
content: Fate Suber, American
label: Subject of
content: Eli Young
label: Subject of
content: The White House, founded 1792
notes: label: Caption
content: Eugene Allen (1919-2010) began working at the White House in 1952 as a “pantry man” and retired in 1986 as “head butler” after serving 8 presidential administrations. This picture of Allen and the other butlers in repose in the Rose Garden of the White House was taken with Allen's camera in 1968.
label: Description
content: This is a color polaroid photograph of five White House butlers relaxing in the Rose Garden. They are seated outdoors on white wicker lounge furniture surrounded by plants and foliage. The sitters are from left to right: John Johnson, Eli Young (nephew of former White House butler Armstead Barnett), John Ficklin (Maître` D), Fate Suber, and Eugene Allen (1st Butler). All five men wear black tuxedos over white shirts, with black bow ties. Two of the men sit in profile to the camera. The man on the left, John Johnson, turns his head to gaze at the camera while Eugene Allen gazes into the distance. The man in the center of the photograph, John Ficklin, leans back in his chair with his feet up and gazes directly ahead at the camera. the men on either side of him, Fate Suber and Eli Young, sit with knees crossed and gaze into the middle distance. A handwritten inscription on the back of the photograph that reads "Mr. Allen & bulters [sic] / relaxing in East Wing."
place: label: Place depicted
content: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Domestic life
label: Topic
content: Government
label: Topic
content: Labor
label: Topic
content: Local and regional
label: Topic
content: Men
label: Topic
content: Photography
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1961-1969
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Photographs and Still Images
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Charles E. Allen in memory of Eugene Allen and Helene Allen
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2020.20
objectType: label: Type
content: instant camera photographs
label: Type
content: portraits
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: © Charles E. Allen
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: dye on photographic paper
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 3 3/8 × 4 7/8 in. (8.6 × 12.4 cm)