Frequently Asked Questions
Who is included in the White House Workers History Project?
The White House Workers History Project (WHWHP) does not feature political staff who served in the East and West Wings; instead, it brings the lesser-known stories of non-partisan workers to the forefront.
At this time, WHWHP includes domestic household staff, as well as workers on the grounds and in the stables and garage. Today, this non-partisan workforce is known as the Executive Residence staff. To respect the privacy of former staff, the project includes only deceased workers. If you know of an individual who fits this framework but is not featured on our website, please contact us. This project is a work in progress and research is ongoing.
How accurate is the birthplace and burial location map in the database?
Both birth and burial places are based upon existing documentation, which varies in terms of specificity. Sometimes, we are able to closely identify the town or county, while in other cases, we can only identify the country of someone’s birth. For many of our worker biographies, burial and birthplace are unknown at this time.
When it comes to mapping, the GeoNames software on our website places an individual’s birth and burial locations in the geographic center of that locality, not the actual address where they were born or buried. For example, if someone was born in Atlanta, Georgia, the GeoNames software places their precise location as the geographic center of Atlanta, not their actual birthplace address. If an individual was born or buried in a country that no longer exists (ex. Prussia), we have chosen to use the modern equivalent (Germany) for this category to allow for modern mapping.
How did you categorize race for this project?
The White House Workers History Project relies on the U.S. Census Bureau’s updated guidelines for collecting demographic data related to race and ethnicity published in 2024. Adhering to these categories, this project identifies this person as Black or African American; however, there is documentation or other evidence suggesting that they were multiracial or mixed race. It is important to recognize that historical terms such as “mulatto” and “colored” are problematic, as these reflect the document writer’s views and the historical period more than the individual’s preferences or identity. Whenever practical, we have tried to include this information within the biographies. Please see our Statement on Harmful Language, and feel free to contact us to share any questions or concerns.
What sources did you use to conduct this research?
Our team relied upon a variety of sources including family and oral histories, government records, newspapers, staff memoirs, presidential papers, census data, and more to write biographies of White House workers. We are grateful for our partners, including presidential sites and libraries, documentary editing projects, historic cemeteries, and independent scholars across the country for sharing research materials and insights with us, and for our White House Workers History Project Community Council for providing valuable input and guidance.
I have more information about a White House worker/ a correction to a biography- how can I share it with you?
We would love to hear from you! Research is ongoing and we welcome any and all contributions to this project. Please reach out to us here.
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How many presidents relied on the labor of enslaved people at the White House?
According to surviving documentation, at least nine presidents either brought with them or hired out enslaved individuals to work at the White House: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, John Tyler, James K. Polk, and Zachary Taylor. President George Washington also relied on enslaved labor for his households, but he did not live at the White House (it was not completed until 1800, several years after his presidency ended).
Do workers live at the White House?
While there are some spaces set aside for personal staff in the Private Quarters, the Executive Residence staff typically does not live onsite. However, for much of White House history, many members of the domestic staff lived at the White House. Enslaved and free workers often lived and worked in the Ground Floor rooms in the early nineteenth century. Some workers slept near their workspace – for example, gardeners lived in a cottage on the White House Grounds, and various coachmen lived above the Stables. Through the mid-twentieth century, several workers slept on the Third Floor in the Residence, including lady’s maids, housekeepers, and valets.
How many people are on the Residence Staff?
The modern Residence Staff includes approximately 80-90 people, consisting of butlers, maids, housekeepers, chefs, cooks, doormen, florists, curators, electricians, plumbers, storekeepers, engineers, and others. In past centuries, presidential households were much smaller, but have gradually expanded over time.
Who pays the White House staff?
Payment of the White House staff has changed over time. In the 19th century, presidents and first ladies paid for their household staff out of pocket. Slave-owning presidents often brought enslaved men and women from their estates and plantations to work at the White House as a cost-saving measure. During the course of the nineteenth century, some household roles such as gardeners, stewards, and doorkeepers became government positions. Around the early twentieth century, the United States government began to pay the salaries of what we know today as the Residence Staff. Today, the majority of these workers are Excepted Service employees within the federal government.