This mesmerizing companion book to the awardwinning film the butler traces the civil rights movement and explores crucial moments of twentieth century american history through the eyes of eugene allena white house butler who served eight presidents over the course of thirtyfour years. A witness to history by wil haygood 2018, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. The butler book by wil haygood, lee daniels official. The butler is not a memoir, portrait, or biography and is rather a choppy, mishmash of storytelling not many people are privy to the innerquarters of the white house. A witness to history wil haygood charts the life of eugene allen, the white house butler who served no fewer than eight presidents, from harry truman to ronald reagan, and whose story inspired the film the butler. A witness to history, the highly anticipated film that stars six oscar winners, including forest whitaker, oprah winfrey honorary and nominee, jane fonda, cuba gooding jr. During the presidencies of harry truman to ronald reagan, eugene allen was a butler in.
In the middle of 2008, long before democratic candidates for office were decided, wil haygood says that he knew barack obama would be the next president which got him thinking. With a foreword by the academy award nominated director lee daniels, the butler not only explores allens life and service to eight american presidents, from truman to reagan, but also includes an essay, in the vein of james baldwins jewel the devil finds work, that explores the history of black images on celluloid and in hollywood, and. Also explores the history of african americans in hollywood with a forward by the films. I was hoping for some insight on life with past presidents as a servant in the white house. It is inspired by wil haygoods washington post article a butler well served by this election loosely based on the real life of eugene allen, who worked in the white house for decades, the film stars forest whitaker as cecil. A witness to history by wil haygood in chm, doc, rtf download ebook. If youre interested in the true story, maybe not embellished and fleshed out, try the book. From guggenheim and national endowment for the humanities fellow wil haygood comes a mesmerizing inquiry into the life of eugene allen, the butler who ignited a nations imagination and inspired a major motion picture. Pdf witness to history download full pdf book download. The first part of the book is an expansion of an article appearing in the washington post around the time of president obamas 2008 election. The story that inspired the major motion picturejacket. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It actually seems that more time is dedicated in the book.
All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. Author wil haygood got to know the man he frequently calls the butler and was obviously fascinated at the backstory to the job allen did. A witness to history by jostars see profile 071414. Jul 30, 20 this mesmerizing companion book to the awardwinning film the butler traces the civil rights movement and explores crucial moments of twentieth century american history through the eyes of eugene allena white house butler who served eight presidents over the course of thirtyfour years. A witness to history, the highly anticipated film that stars six oscar winners, including forest whitaker, oprah winfrey honorary and nominee, jane fonda, cuba. Wil haygood born september 19, 1954, in columbus, ohio is an american journalist and author who is known for his 2008 article a butler well served by this election in the washington post about eugene allen, which served as the basis for the 20 movie the butler. Wil haygood adds eugene allens chronicle to his impressive list of essential works on great figures in black and american history. A witness to history, haygood tells us how his story and the film came to be. A witness to history by wil haygood 20, cd, unabridged at the best online prices at ebay. The book is a much more indepth look at the life of eugene and helene allen. From the hundreds of black enslaved workers who helped build the white house to the countless others who have toiled over the years in its back rooms and kitchens, lusane lifts up the veil on decades of. It is an advertisement for a movie made about a man who served as a butler at the white house. During his thirtyfour years of service, allen became what the independent described as a discreet stagehand who for three decades helped keep the show running in the most important political theatre of all. A witness to history kindle edition by haygood, wil, daniels, lee.
A witness to history, is a portrait of eugene allens lifelong journey, from his birth in 1919 on a southern plantation to his years in service at the white house. During the presidencies of harry truman to ronald reagan, eugene allen was a butler in the most. Aug 16, 20 in the book the black history of the white house, american university history professor clarence lusane outlines some of this story. Washington post reporter wil haygood talks about the life of eugene allen, the white house butler who served as the inspiration for haygoods book, the butler. Wil haygood when acclaimed washington post writer wil haygood had an early hunch that obama would win the 2008 election, he thought hed highlight the singular moment by exploring the life of someone who had. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the butler. The audio of this book is read by people involved in the movie that was created about this little slice of history. The unique story of eugene allen, a butler who had served no fewer than eight presidents, from harry truman to ronald reagan. The butler is a brief but intriguing look at the life of eugene allen, who became a white house butler and served for more than three decades before, during, and after the civil rights movement.
The butler by wil haygood, 9781476752990, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. During the presidencies of harry truman to ronald reagan, eugene allen was a butler in the. Over the course of 34 years, eugene allen worked for eight of the most powerful men in the free world. He was both a witness to history and unknown to it, says haygood as he puts allens life in perspective for his readers. A witness to history from the worlds largest community of readers. Haygoods article, a butler well served by this election, ran on the front page of this newspaper three days after the senator from illinois made history. During the presidencies of harry truman to ronald reagan, eugene allen was a butler in the most famous of. Thats because, for movie buffs and historians, the butler is one very powerful book. A witness to history should get just as much, if not more, attention than the film which uses its story for thematic foundation.
The butler full title lee daniels the butler is a 20 american historical drama film directed and coproduced by lee daniels and with a screenplay by danny strong. A witness to history wil haygood, read by david oyelowo, forest whitaker, oprah winfrey, and lee daniels. A witness to history from guggenheim and national endowment for the humanities fellow wil haygood comes a mesmerizing inquiry into the life of eugene allen, the butler who ignited a nations imagination and inspired a major motion picture. During the presidencies of harry truman to ronald reagan, eugene allen was a. A witness to history by wil haygood, youll read about allens historymaking job. The book is brief, but the two sections and many images of allens quietly extraordinary life speak volumes about a nation struggling, and succeeding by degrees, to come to terms with an ignominious history of racial inequality. I enjoyed this book about eugene allen, a butler at the white house during the administrations of presidents truman through reagan.
Charts the life of eugene allen, the white house butler who served no fewer than eight presidents, from harry truman to ronald reagan, and whose story inspired the film the butler. In the book the black history of the white house, american university history professor clarence lusane outlines some of this story. Oct 01, 20 from guggenheim and national endowment for the humanities fellow wil haygood comes a mesmerizing inquiry into the life of eugene allen, the butler who ignited a nations imagination and inspired a major motion picture. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the butler. Lee daniels the butler, the highly anticipated film that stars six oscar winners, including forest whitaker, oprah winfrey honorary and nominee, jane fonda, cuba gooding jr. Oprah winfrey, david oyelowo, forest whitaker, lee daniels bookmark added at 0. This mesmerizing companion book to the awardwinning film the butler traces the civil rights movement and explores crucial moments of twentieth century american history through the eyes of eugene. Will haygood, the reporter who centralized allen and inspired the film, the butler, attempts to reveal the man in, the butler. Since then, haygood has written a book about allen, the butler. A witness to history by wil haygood, youll read about allens.
1363 770 1226 1278 1059 753 1151 1076 301 1046 480 551 1396 1008 130 147 551 665 1042 690 1344 1449 744 582 328 788 1304 455 899 1409 657 926 624 340 486 1415