The White House's History Of Slave Labor

(CBS)  Every four years sounds of construction take over the front of the White House. But this time around, there's something poignant about them.

CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod said to White House Historian William Bushong: "We're surrounded by workmen here and they're getting the Obama review stand ready. Fair to say there would have been slaves right here a couple hundred years ago?"

Bushong replied: "Certainly."

It may not be new to Bushong, but many of the rest of us may be surprised that slaves built much of the White House.

Washington, D.C., in fact, is "right smack in the middle of, between two states that were slave-holding states, Maryland and Virginia," Bushong points out.

More than 200 years ago, near the White House, there were brick kilns, wood-working sheds and tents for sleeping. It was a slave village.

The distance between living out there and living inside the White House is not something that cannot measured in yards.

Three weeks ago, the National Archives' Reginald Washington saw a batch of 200-year-old wage records for slaves for the first time.

"They're paying to Mr. James Claggett for the hire of a negro, George," Washington said.

This sheds light on an especially symbolic chapter of what's been called our nation's original sin.

Talking further to Washington, one learns more about James Hoban, the architect of the White House, who had three slaves working.

"And usually they're gonna list the negroes only by their given name, not their surname," Washington said.

But not much about Ben, Harry and Daniel themselves comes across. Just their 23 days worked and money earned is documented - but that money went to their master, of course.

"The slave owners were paid for the services of their slaves just as they were paid for the services of their horses or wagon," Washington said.

In his 30 years handling documents at the White House archives, nothing has hit him as profoundly as this.

"They never could imagine in their wildest dreams that a man of color, or an African-American would one day sit in the White House itself where they toiled to build this," Washington said.

Less than six weeks from now those wildest dreams come true.

[shadowdog101]

yes, slavery was not created in America but what they created was the style of how slavery was conducted. they not only took away freedom, culture, language and human dignity, they exported it to the world, so that the world fell victim to this mind concept. now every european coming to America had a misgoneten opinion of the blackman. this is the battle of the blackman that persist today among the uneducated and even some educated people bot black and white. yes, America was and is very thorough in the way they continue to mistreat the blackman. congrats to Obama, some do rise above. there are blacks today that still feel the sting of the captivity of the past, in thier mind and the mind of whites who were touch by the sin of the American culture.

[robertzou]

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[endurorob]

Why is it that slavery was "Americas" first sin. This country was no the only one to practice slavery. And it is not just whites that practiced slavery. Most of the black slaves that were brought to this country were sold to the Dutch by, guess who, African tribesmen who captured them during battle. The fact is slavery has been practiced throughout history by every ethnic group. O.K. so it took too long for this country to abolish slavery, but it was abolished more that 140 years ago. The only slaves now are those who are slaves to a past that they weren''t even around for.

[jd2408]

This same article, changed now and then just a little keeps showing up over and over again. The news media are the ones who don''t seem to want this country to learn from the past and give up racism. I am not sure why, maybe they like to write about it. The media seems to be very worried about a united America. There will always be some racist out of 300 million people that the media can turn to for their daily fix.

[blog_fever]

Racism is a plague in this country. Black people dont want to let it go and white people can''t accept it. They figure, "I didn''t do it, so it''s not a big deal." but you have reaped the benefits from it. This is more American than apple pie and I hope it is a pill that is hard to swallow. The only thing I hope is that Black people don''t use this as a crutch to hold them back from prosperity. May God continue to bless this country.

[boston1954]

what does it matter if barack has any decencents who were slaves working on the white house?
Posted by dltgold

Shouldn''t that be ancestors???

[rixmix98]

And where was Obama born????

Posted by bearswife11 at 11:28 AM : Dec 11, 2008



Good God give it a rest, will ya?

[observer2020]

You know, it always amazes me how much race still comes up. I totally understand "you don''t know where you''re going if you don''t know where you''re from." However, there is a time and a place to LET IT GO and GET OVER IT! We can never move beyond things if others keep throwing it back into the ring of play. I think it''s past time for the American people to get on with things. We are ONE people and that''s it. There''s enough other things for Americans to worry about instead of who had slaves and who didn''t, who''s land was stolen and who''s wasn''t. These and a plethera of more subjects mattered hundreds of years ago, but not now. We DO NEED TO REMEMBER WHERE WE CAME FROM, BUT THAT''S NOT WHERE WE ARE NOW. Let''s press on with a new President and hopefully he can correct the errors of the last one. It''s a new day. All these problems from history are destroying the American people now by dividing us unnecessarily...which is what the rest of the world counts on. We are Americans...and need to start acting as one!

[helloall34]

I always get a chuckle when Obama is called the "first black" president. He is half white, so why isn''''t he considered a "white president"? ...

Posted by bearswife11 at 11:28 AM : Dec 11, 2008
==========================

I for one am sure sick of hearing *** like this. The reason is racism. Being mulatto one gets to encounter racism from both communities (black and white). However, the black community has been historically more accepting then the white community of mulatto children. Mulatto children in the US often identify more with the black community because of the shared experience of being a minority.

[helloall34]

"The distance between living out there and living inside the White House is not something that cannot measured in yards. "
===========

Wow! That is some pretty bad writing ("...not something that cannot..."). Doesn''t anyone proofread? A double negative, one doesn''t tend to see that past junior high school. I don''t usually comment on things like this, because I too often make mistakes, but that is sad.