White House Historical Association

Sarah Brooks

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"Sarah Brooks," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whha.whirlihost.com/Detail/workers/433.
Position
Cook
Years in President's House
circa 1870
Legal Status
Free Person
Gender
Female
Race/Ethnicity
Black or African American
Presidency
Ulysses S. Grant
Biography
Sarah Brooks was an African-American woman working in the White House Kitchen during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant.1 In 1870, she was listed in a newspaper article on the White House staff as a cook.2 At the time, many domestic workers in the White House were African Americans, whose culinary skills and familiarity with regional traditions were highly regarded.3 Little else is known about Sarah Brooks’ life. First Lady Julia Grant recalled in her memoir that she was “very fond of society and enjoyed to the fullest extent the opportunity afforded to me at the White House.”4 She regularly hosted elaborate dinners and receptions for a variety of guests. Most notably, the Grants held the first State Dinner in honor of King Kalākaua of the Kingdom of Hawai’i. They also refurbished the White House and updated its decor. Within this vibrant social environment, Sarah Brooks likely played an important role in supporting White House entertaining.5
  1. Adrian Miller, The President's Kitchen Cabinet: The Story of the African Americans Who Have Fed Our First Families, from the Washingtons to the Obamas (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2017).
  2. “White House Staff,” The Greenville Democrat (Greenville, OH), June 1, 1870, 2, https://www.newspapers.com/image/653351583/?match=1&terms=valentine melah.  
  3. “19th Century White House Staff,” White House Historical Association, accessed June 25, 2025, https://www.whitehousehistory.org/19th-century-white-house-staff; Sarah Brooks is mentioned in several documents and newspapers from the mid- to late nineteenth century. While some of these records may suggest possible birth and death dates, most do not reference her time at the White House. As such, this account is based solely on sources that can be confidently verified as referring to her.
  4. Julia Dent Grant, The Personal Memoirs of Julia Dent Grant (Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant) (New York: Putnam, 1975) 174.
  5. “Julia Grant,” White House Historical Association, accessed July 21, 2025, https://www.whitehousehistory.org/bios/julia-grant.
Birthplace
Unclear from Context
Unclear from Context