Photograph of White House butlers in repose

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

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, Eley F. Young, Sr. (possibly 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 Eley F. Young, Sr.

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