Unidentified John Tyler Cook

Cite this Page

"Unidentified John Tyler Cook," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whha.whirlihost.com/Detail/workers/259.

Position

Cook

Years in President's House

circa 1842

Legal Status

Enslaved Person

Gender

Male

Race/Ethnicity

Black or African American

Presidency

John Tyler

Biography

In 1842, The Liberator – an abolitionist newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts – published an account of an unnamed visitor in Washington, D.C. interacting with an enslaved man. Titled “President Tyler’s Cook,” the article detailed a conversation between this individual and an unidentified enslaved man who explained that he was hired out to work for President John Tyler at the White House. When questioned about how many enslaved workers the president had, the “colored man” responded “Only four, Sir, at the white house. Did not know how many he had elsewhere.”¹ The cook explained that his wife was in Virginia, he had not seen her in months, and that separating husbands, wives, and families is common amongst slaveholders. “Two of the slaves of the President have not seen their wives since the President came to Washington. And they often sell them forever apart!” concluded the unidentified enslaved cook.²The article ended by using the conversation to counter the belief that slavery was a benevolent institution, and instead argue that there is no condition under which enslavement could provide contentment or happiness. While President Tyler did use a mix of free and enslaved labor at the White House, there is no other known documentation to identify this enslaved worker or verify this recollection.

The White House Workers History Project relies on the U.S. Census Bureau’s updated guidelines for collecting demographic data related to race and ethnicity published in 2024. Adhering to these categories, this project identifies this person as Black or African American; however, there is documentation or other evidence suggesting that they were multiracial or mixed race. It is important to recognize that historical terms such as “mulatto” and “colored” are problematic, as these reflect the document writer’s views and the historical period more than the individual’s preferences or identity.
“President Tyler’s Cook,” The Liberator (Boston, MA), July 1, 1842, pg. 1-2.

Birthplace

Unclear from context

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