The White House Workers History Project Launch Event

The White House Historical Association was founded by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961, and has been priviledged to partner with every First Lady since the Kennedy Administration to enhance the understanding and appreciation of the White House. Our shared mission to celebrate and elevate the President's House for all Americans is a collaboration we are honored to carry forward with every Presidency.

The White House Historical Association

The White House Historical Association invites you to celebrate the launch of the White House Workers History Project

David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History at Decatur House

The White House Workers History Project (WHWHP) highlights the often-overlooked impact of White House staff from 1789 to the present. The project does not feature political staff who served in the East and West Wings over time; instead, it brings the lesser-known stories of non-partisan workers to the forefront, demonstrating how everyday people served the country and shaped the American story.  WHWHP builds upon past research, including our<a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/spn/introduction" title="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/spn/introduction" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> Slavery in the President’s Neighborhood </a>initiative, launched in 2020, which focuses on the enslaved individuals that built, lived in, and worked at the White House.  To create this database, a team of Association staff, fellows, and interns spent more than six years researching the identities and stories of workers at the White House. Our ongoing research into their lives and experiences sheds light on the many people who have contributed to White House history including immigrants, women, and people of color (both free and enslaved). This project allows us to explore the lives of individuals often left on the margins, as well as tell a more nuanced and comprehensive history, one that better reflects our national narrative. It encourages us to think beyond traditional narratives of power and politics, instead highlighting the everyday people that make our democracy function privately, without pomp and circumstance. It is a prescient reminder that a symbol is only as strong as the people who sustain it.

The White House Workers History Project Launch Event

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David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History at Decatur House

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The White House Workers History Project Launch Event

Good to know

Location

David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History at Decatur House

How do you want to get there?

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