William H. Johnson, an African-American man, was the personal valet of President Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was employed by the president well before he went to the White House. He was there when Lincoln received the Republican Nomination for president.
William Johnson accompanied the president to the famous Gettysburg Address in November 1863.
When Lincoln became president, he was pressured to fire Johnson because he wasn’t the traditional “paper bag” skin color of the other employees. Johnson was indeed fired, but Lincoln referred him for a high profile job with the U.S. Treasury Department. Johnson also continued to do some odd jobs for the president, including fittings, valet and barber services, despite White House protocol.
