Alice Brooks

Alice Brooks was born in Virginia in May 1856.¹ Little is currently known about her early life, but she was living in Washington, D.C. with her family as early as 1880.² 

It is likely Alice Brooks worked as a laundress at the White House in 1897. That year, she was listed in the official register of federal government employees as “assistant laundress” working under laundress Eliza Parker.³ Their specific government department was not listed, but Eliza Parker likely worked at the White House, which would place Brooks there as well. It is currently unclear if she worked at the White House prior to or after 1897. The 1910 and 1920 Census recorded Brooks as a laundress in Washington, D.C., but did not specify her employer.⁴ Little else is known about Alice Brooks at this time.