Eugene Allen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eugene Allen
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Eugene Allen with Ronald and Nancy Reagan
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| Born | July 14, 1919 |
| Died | March 31, 2010 (aged 90) Takoma Park, Maryland, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Butler |
| Spouse(s) |
Helene Lee
(m. 1943; died 2008) |
Eugene Charles Allen (born July 14, 1919 – died March 31, 2010) was an American butler. He worked at the White House for 34 years! This is where the President of the United States lives and works. Allen started as a pantry man and later became the head butler. His amazing life story inspired the 2013 movie The Butler.
Eugene Allen's Life Story
Eugene Allen was born in Buckingham County, Virginia. He grew up on a farm called Shirland Farm. Before working at the White House, he was a waiter. He worked at fancy resorts and clubs, including The Homestead resort in Hot Springs, Virginia.
He began working at the White House in 1952. His first job was a "pantry man." This meant he did basic tasks. He washed dishes, stocked supplies, and cleaned silverware. Over many years, Allen worked his way up. He became a butler to the President.
Allen was deeply affected when President John F. Kennedy was murdered in 1963. His son shared that his father came home late that day. He then put his coat back on to return to work. In the hallway, he leaned against the wall and cried. It was the first time his son had ever seen him cry.
Allen was invited to President Kennedy's funeral. But he chose to stay at the White House. He wanted to prepare for the reception after the funeral. He felt someone needed to be there to serve everyone. Eugene Allen never missed a single day of work in 34 years!
In 1981, during President Ronald Reagan's time, Allen reached the highest rank. He became the Maître d'hôtel. This is like the head butler. President Reagan did something special for Allen. He invited Allen and his wife, Helene, to a state dinner.
A state dinner is a very important meal. It is held for special guests, like leaders from other countries. Allen was the first White House butler ever invited as a guest. This was a huge honor for him.
He retired in 1986. During his 34 years, he worked for eight different presidents. These presidents were Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan.
Allen was married to his wife, Helene, for 65 years. They met at a birthday party in Washington in 1942. They got married a year later in 1943. They had one son named Charles Allen.
Eugene and Helene planned to vote for Barack Obama in 2008. This was a very important election. Sadly, Helene passed away the day before the election. She died on November 3.
Eugene Allen died on March 31, 2010. He passed away from kidney failure. He was at the Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park, Maryland.
How Eugene Allen Became Famous
Eugene Allen became well-known in 2008. A journalist named Wil Haygood wrote an article about him. It was called "A Butler Well Served by This Election." The article was published in The Washington Post. It came out right after the 2008 presidential election.
The story showed Allen's life. It also talked about how race relations changed over time. And it shared details about the presidents he served. The article quickly became very popular.
Columbia Pictures bought the rights to make a movie about Allen's life. He was also invited to President Obama's inauguration. This is the ceremony where a new president officially takes office. Allen said, "That's the man...Whew, I'm telling you, it's something to see. Seeing him standing there, it's been worth it all."
Allen and other White House workers were in a documentary. It was a 32-minute film called Workers at the White House. It was released in 2009. The film was part of a DVD called White House Workers: Traditions and Memories. This DVD was made by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
The 2013 movie The Butler was inspired by Eugene Allen's life. The movie's writer, Danny Strong, used The Washington Post article as his inspiration. It is important to know that the movie is not exactly true to Allen's life. The main character, "Cecil Gaines," is only loosely based on the real Eugene Allen.
See also
In Spanish: Eugene Allen para niños
