William J. Bowen Jr.
Cite this Page
"William J. Bowen Jr.," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whha.whirlihost.com/Detail/workers/1064.
- Positions
- Butler
- Messenger
- Years in President's House
- 1957 – 1993
- Legal Status
- Free Person
- Gender
- Male
- Race/Ethnicity
- Black or African American
- Biography
- William John Bowen Jr. was born on November 18, 1919, in Hurts, Virginia. (1) His father, William Bowen Sr., worked at the White House as a butler. Through his father, Bowen Jr. was hired as a part-time butler and mail carrier in 1957 during the Eisenhower presidency. He was eventually promoted to full-time butler, though the exact date of his promotion is unclear. (2)
Bowen served as butler for seven presidents, retiring at the end of George H.W. Bush’s presidency in 1993. Looking back on his career from retirement, Bowen called his time at the White House “most enjoyable.” He said “the most interesting part” was meeting the various movie stars and entertainers that came to the White House, though he was careful not to speak to them unless they approached him first. (3) This was a lesson taught to him by his father, who called it the “Code of Silence” for domestic workers at the White House: “Pay attention, and don’t be talking to people while on your assignment . . . Don’t unnecessarily engage some of the guests unless they speak to you.” (4) Bowen passed away on April 1, 2019, and was buried in Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in Maryland. (5) - (1) “William John Bowen, Jr.,” U.S. Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current, Ancestry.com, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60525/records/162529313?tid=&pid=&queryId=1ac02d28-8644-4a3a-83f1-1e5e79599b85&_phsrc=KCT750&_phstart=successSource; “William John Bowen,” U.S. World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 22, accessed via Ancestry.com, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238/records/6523550
(2) Jesse Holland, “Blacks and the White House: Slavery, Service,” The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, VA), December 8, 2008, pg. 16.
(3) “Former White House Butler Shares Memories,” interview, Associated Press, Youtube video, published December 8, 2008, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38U-vBWUaFE
(4) Jesse Holland, “Blacks and the White House: Slavery, Service,” The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, VA), December 8, 2008, pg. 16;
(5) “William Bowen, Jr.,” Washington Post, April 8, 2019, https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/washingtonpost/name/william-bowen-obituary?id=1799681 - Birthplace
- Hurts, Virginia, USA