10at10 Club

Main Discussion Area => In Memoriam, Happy Birthday => Topic started by: Wayback on April 05, 2010, 10:17:25 PM

Title: RIP Eugene Allen, 90, White House butler 1952-86
Post by: Wayback on April 05, 2010, 10:17:25 PM

Eugene Allen was White House butler from Truman through Reagan.  As a black man, he couldn't use public restrooms in his native Virginia when he began work at the White House in 1952.  He became a witness to history culminating in attending Obama's inauguration.  He was 90.
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-eugene-allen4-2010apr04,0,6489324.story

Title: Re: RIP Eugene Allen, 90, White House butler 1952-86
Post by: urth on April 05, 2010, 10:36:15 PM

Quote from: Wayback on April 05, 2010, 10:17:25 PM

Eugene Allen was White House butler from Truman through Reagan.  As a black man, he couldn't use public restrooms in his native Virginia when he began work at the White House in 1952.  He became a witness to history culminating in attending Obama's inauguration.  He was 90.
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-eugene-allen4-2010apr04,0,6489324.story

I remember reading a piece on him (and I think there was an accompanying slide show) around the time Obama was inaugurated, and being reduced to tears at the end of the piece. Hell of a story.

Here it is:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/06/AR2008110603948.html