Photograph by

Unidentified

Subject of

Allen, Eugene, American, 1919 - 2010

Johnson, John, American

Ficklin, John Woodson, American, 1919 - 1984

Suber, Fate, American

Unidentified Man or Men

The White House, founded 1792

Date

1968

Medium

dye on photographic paper

Dimensions

H x W: 3 3/8 × 4 7/8 in. (8.6 × 12.4 cm)

Caption

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.

Description

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, an unidentified 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 the unidentified man, 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 depicted

Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Type

instant camera photographs

portraits

Topic

Domestic life

Government

Labor

Local and regional

Men

Photography

U.S. History, 1961-1969

Credit Line

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

Object number

2020.20

Restrictions & Rights

© Charles E. Allen

Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd51878c412-3858-4a2f-b581-c27573c77692