got into writing about african-american history in washington, d.c. was because of barack obama and his campaign. there was a lot of interest in african american history, having the first african-american president in the white house. i was lucky enough to be assigned by the associated press to cover obama that weekend. i remember holding up pulling to the obamas townhouse in chicago thinking about what book what i write next. and right at that spot is when it hit me. i got so excited about the topic and so i immediately called my editor. down mydiately tamped enthusiasm and told me to think about it. really sure that i had a good idea about what i wanted to do. brian: what was the idea? jesse: the idea was to write a story about the african-american slaves who lived inside the white house. was still the country talking about how great and how unique it would be if an african-american president lived inside the white house. i said to myself, i understand that would be great
why did you lead your forward with that? jesse: part of the reason why i got into writing about african-american history in washington, d.c. was because of barack obama and his campaign. there was a lot of interest in african american history, having the first african-american president in the white house. i was lucky enough to be assigned by the associated press to cover obama that weekend. i remember pulling up to the obamas townhouse in chicago thinking about what book will i write next. and right at that spot is when it hit me. i got so excited about the topic and so i immediately called my editor. she immediately tamped down my enthusiasm and told me to think about it. to make sure that i had a really good idea about what i wanted to do. brian: what was the idea? jesse: the idea was to write a story about the african-american slaves who lived inside the white house. back then, the country was still talking about how great and how unique it would be if an african-america
brian: what was the idea? jesse: the idea was to write a story about the african-american slaves who lived inside the white house. back then, the country was still talking about how great and how unique it would be if an african-american president lived inside the white house. i said to myself, i understand that would be great but he cannot have been the first african-american to live there. and then the thought process went on so who were the first african-americans to live there? we knew there were african-american butlers but i thought there had to be someone before them. i decided to write a book about the african-american slaves that lived inside the white house with the first presidents and that is when the invisibles: the untold story of african american slaves in the white house got its start. brian: we have an artist rendering of the first presidents house in new york city. you say in your book that there were nine slaves working for george washington inside that
i first came to washington, d.c. in 2000 as a congressional correspondent for the associated press. after spending several years in colombia south carolina and albany new york. now, i am originally from mississippi, the son of two public school teachers come in and being from mississippi, the one thing my parents made sure that i knew was my history. it was almost a state requirement in mississippi to know where you came from. so, when i left mississippi to go to south carolina, i had this desire to history and i studied the history of south carolina. i didn t the same thing when i went to upstate new york. i got involved in learning the african-american history of upstate new york which, by the way, is very vibrant. a lot of the underground railroads ended in upstate new york city have a very vibrant african-american community and history up there. but when i left albany new york to come to washington, d.c., and i knew i was hitting the mother lode. washington, d.c. on a new