A House Built by Slaves: African American Visitors to the Lincoln White House

In the midst of a divided and war-torn nation, President Lincoln's invitation to African Americans to the White House was a significant moment that transformed race relations in the United States. Lincoln's meetings with Black Christian ministers and his conferring with guests about citizenship and voting rights were instrumental in amplifying African American voices and highlighting the importance of inclusion.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 12 April 2022
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

The forgotten but essential story of how President Lincoln welcomed African Americans to his White House in our nation's most divided and war-torn era is illuminated by Jonathan White. He explains why Lincoln's then-unprecedented welcome of African Americans to the White House transformed the trajectory of race relations in the United States. From his 1862 meetings with Black Christian ministers, Lincoln began inviting African Americans of every background to his home, from ex-slaves from the Deep South to champions of abolitionism such as Frederick Douglass. This was more than a mere goodwill gesture; the president conferred with his guests about the essential issues of citizenship and voting rights.

Drawing from an array of primary sources, White reveals how Lincoln used the White House as a stage to amplify African American voices. Even 155 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln's inclusion of African Americans remains a necessary example in a country still struggling from racial divisions today.

Weight: 590g
Dimension: 237 x 165 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781538161807