housekeeper

? When watching the recently released film "The White House Butler", US President Barack Obama was moved to tears.

"I shed tears not only for the black housekeeper who works in the White House, but also for the talented but discriminated generation who can't go further in life." He said this on a radio program.

Eugene allen, the real person behind the White House housekeeper, has experienced such a life.

The only housekeeper invited to the state banquet.

Eugene allen comes home late every day, and his wife Helen sits quietly in the kitchen waiting for him.

In the White House, he was in close contact with dirty dishes, but out of reach of the big desk in the Oval Office. But Helen doesn't mind. She is proud of her husband.

He is the story behind the history books and the silent figure in the White House kitchen. If we must find something special, it is Allen who has witnessed the comings and goings of eight presidents during his 34 years in the White House, and has never missed a day's work.

Before the couple died, photos of the Reagan couple and seven other presidents served by Allen hung in the living room. In a photo, President Ford is opening a birthday present, and Allen is standing not far away.

Allen is like President Ford in Armando Nome. Every time he holds a birthday party, he is the first staff member invited. With a sweet smile, Mrs. Ford always reminds everyone that "today is Joan's birthday, too" and leads everyone to sing for him until the housekeeper in the tuxedo walks away shyly.

One day, nancy reagan suddenly came to the kitchen to remind President Allen that he would have dinner with German Chancellor helmut kohl. Allen promised that he was ready, and even the porcelain was selected. But Nancy told him that he didn't have to work that night, which frightened the dutiful housekeeper.

"You and Helen will attend the state banquet hosted by President Reagan and me as guests." Nancy said with a smile, "I tell you, you are definitely the only housekeeper invited at the state banquet."

That night, Helen dressed up and talked with Kan Kan, the head of state. The housekeeper on duty seemed to pay special attention to pouring champagne into their glasses, and Allen put them in the White House storage room.

"Jack Kennedy was very good," Allen recalled. "So is Mrs. Kennedy." Helen echoed the voice.

On the day of Kennedy's assassination, Allen, who was working in the kitchen, was invited by Mrs Kennedy to attend the funeral, but he volunteered to stay in the White House to serve. The presidential tie that Mrs Kennedy gave him was solemnly put away by him.

Sometimes, people will ask Allen which president he likes best, and the old man will always answer, "I like them all."

"I shook hands with eight presidents." He once proudly told reporters in Washington post. "I was there, too, dear." Helen reminded me, "Maybe in the back, but I also shook hands with them."

President Truman called him "Jean" and President Ford liked to talk about golf with him. He accompanied President Nixon on Air Force One to Romania and had a beer with President Carter at Camp David.

1986 When bidding farewell to the White House, Allen received many farewell gifts and various photos. President Reagan wrote him a sweet personal letter, and Nancy gave him a big hug.

After leaving the White House, he went to Gettysburg to visit the elderly President Eisenhower. Since then, he has received many greeting cards from his former first family every birthday or Christmas.

The black man is getting closer and closer to the center of power, even closer than he thought.

In the White House kitchen, the influence of racism is not obvious, because almost all the staff are black. But this does not mean that the high wall of apartheid has disappeared here. It's not hard to imagine just looking at the name "White House".

1952 When he first came to the White House, the young Allen was only a kitchen employee who was responsible for washing dishes, cleaning cabinets and wiping silverware, with an annual salary of $2,400. However, after working six days a week, he was not even allowed to use public toilets.

"We never owned anything," he recalled the difficult situation of black Americans at that time, "but I hope things will get better."

1957, when President Eisenhower was dealing with the racial discrimination crisis in Little Rock School, he asked Allen for a suggestion to cancel a TV program. The temporary "consultant" told the president that it was difficult for the program to attract advertisers because they were worried that the southern white audience would boycott the program.

1963 In February, Kennedy invited 800 blacks to the White House to commemorate the anniversary of the entry into force of the Emancipation Declaration 100. Sammy davis jr Jr, a black star who was scheduled to attend, was crossed off the guest list by the White House because she married May Britt, a white Swedish actress, but was secretly written down by civil rights activists. Kennedy was "frightened" when he saw the "black and white combination" appear in the White House. He "blushed and instructed the photographer not to photograph the mixed-race couple".

But this is not Davis' last visit to the White House. Allen witnessed Nixon's invitation to the White House to talk about the Vietnam War and black issues.

From 65438 to 0963, Martin Luther King visited the White House at the invitation of President Kennedy. King said: "I have a dream that one day the new civil rights bill will be passed in the Senate and the House of Representatives."

Three months later, President Kennedy was assassinated with this dream. Five years later, Kim fell on the road of chasing dreams. But Allen always remembers that he looked up in the kitchen that day and saw a lonely figure at the door. At that time, Kim insisted on talking to all the staff and praised Allen's dress as "tailored".

Later, President lyndon johnson realized their dream. He devoted great energy and determination to the implementation of the Civil Rights Act, and even appointed the first black member of the National Security Council. But there were not many blacks among the staff around him, and Allen, who was in charge of the White House's internal affairs at that time, was not qualified to be regarded as one of them.

1967 In March, when angry people stood outside the White House to protest against the Vietnam War, it was Allen who sent a glass of milk and whisky to the flustered Johnson to appease his hunger and panic.

With the establishment of the Civil Rights Act, the political status of blacks has gradually improved. Colin Luther Powell was the first black general and the first black secretary of state. When Allen first met Powell in the Oval Office, he was serving refreshments. After years of etiquette training, he did not show a strange look, but could not help but feel proud: the black man is getting closer and closer to the power center, even closer than he dreamed.

He wishes he were just a humble housekeeper.

On the eve of the birth of the first African-American president in the United States, Allen and his elderly wife were sitting in the living room, talking excitedly about it.

"Imagine!" She said.

"It's amazing!" He said.

They discussed praying for Obama and agreed to vote together. Helen walked slowly to the voting area on crutches, arm in arm with her wife ... Their election day plan has been rehearsed more than once.

After Obama's election, Allen received a VIP invitation to the inauguration ceremony, but Helen failed to witness this unforgettable moment for countless blacks-the day before the vote, she left her husband of 65 years forever.

From the subway station to the podium, the 88-year-old man walked 1 mile, as if he had stepped through every step of his life journey. Watching Obama give a speech, his eyes were moist again.

"I remember how happy Colin Luther Powell was when he came to the White House, but he couldn't imagine Obama becoming president." Allen's son Charles said. "At that time, we realized that this would really happen. He looked at me and said nothing. He is not a talkative person, and that kind of eyes makes me understand how satisfied and happy he is. " Charles described Allen's feelings to the reporter of MSNBC.

Attending the inauguration ceremony made Allen famous overnight. He received hundreds of letters, some from distant Switzerland; People called to thank him for his service to the country; Neighbors surrounded him on the road and introduced him to the children.

Television stations all over the United States invited him to do programs, publishers invited him to publish books, and many organizations invited him to give speeches. Allen rejected all these invitations. Until his death at the age of 90 in 20 10, Allen had never been interviewed by the media.

Charles said, "He wishes he were just a humble housekeeper."