Sucky

Cite this Page

"Sucky," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whha.whirlihost.com/Detail/workers/162.

Position: Unclear from Context Unclear from Context
Years in President's House: circa 1817 – 1821
Legal Status: Enslaved Person
Gender: Female
Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American
Presidency: James Monroe
Biography: Information about Sucky’s birth, life, and death remain scarce. Surviving accounts show expenses related to shoes and medical care for Sucky, identifying her as part of President James Monroe’s household. However, these records were only kept during Monroe’s summers away from Washington and reveal very little about who she was and her responsibilities at the White House. (1)
There is a Sukey associated with James Monroe’s Virginia plantation Highland. It remains unclear whether this is the same individual. (2)
: (1) Matthew Costello, “The Enslaved Households of President James Monroe,” The White House Historical Association, February 25, 2020, https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-enslaved-households-of-president-james-monroe.
(2) The James Monroe account book for November 26, 1801, lists clothing purchased for “Eve and Sukey.” Eve also appears in documents related to Monroe’s time in the White House. Therefore, Eve and Sukey could be the same individuals. More information is needed to make a concrete connection. “Sukey,” James Monroe Highland, accessed August 14, 2025, https://highland.org/enslaved-biographies/sukey/.
Birthplace: Unclear from Context

Related Association Content: https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-enslaved-households-of-president-james-monroe