Publisher Description
Paul Jennings was born into slavery on the plantation of James and Dolley Madison in Virginia, later becoming part of the Madison household staff at the White House. Once finally emancipated by Senator Daniel Webster later in life, he would give an aged and impoverished Dolley Madison, his former owner, money from his own pocket, write the first White House memoir, and see his sons fight with the Union Army in the Civil War.Â
Â
Based on correspondence, legal documents, and journal entries rarely seen before, this amazing portrait reveals the mores and attitudes toward slavery in the nineteenth century, and sheds new light on famous characters such as James Madison, French General Lafayette, Dolley Madison, and many other long-forgotten slaves, abolitionists, and civil rights activists.
Download and start listening now!
“What I appreciated most about this book was it’s in-depth research and the author’s mastery of of the material. The author weaves a story of a man who was born as property, property of our fourth president, Paul Jennings. The detail on the man’s life, much of it from the letters of James and Dolley Madison, is amazing. The book is more scholarly than narrative in its approach but the subject matter is fascinating. Who knew that a former slave wrote the first White House memoir? I definitely didn’t and I am glad that I now know and that I have read a great biography on the man as well as his memoir (which is included as an appendix to this book). Definitely give this one a read.”
—
Dan (4 out of 5 stars)
