The following is a list of the African Americans, by presidential administration and position, who have had a hand in presidential food preparation. Some presidential administrations and people are not listed because the African Americans who participated in food service were not identified by name in the sources I consulted.
GEORGE WASHINGTON
(1789–97)
Samuel Fraunces (steward)
Hercules (enslaved family cook)
Paris (enslaved apprentice cook)
Richmond (enslaved family cook)
JOHN ADAMS
(1797–1801)
Dinah (cook, last name unknown)
THOMAS JEFFERSON
(1801–9)
Edith (“Edy”) Hern Fossett (enslaved cook)
Peter Hemings (enslaved cook, brewer)
Frances “Fanny” Gillette Hern (enslaved cook)
Ursula (enslaved pastry cook)
JAMES MADISON
(1809–17)
“Old Black” Joe (enslaved cook)
Sukey (enslaved cook)
JAMES MONROE
(1817–25)
Augustus Jackson (cook)
Jennie Trigger (enslaved head cook)
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS
(1825–29)
Augustus Jackson (cook)
ANDREW JACKSON
(1829–37)
Augustus Jackson (cook)
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON
(1841)
George DeBaptiste (steward)
JAMES POLK
(1845–49)
Coakley (male cook [first name unknown])
Mary White (cook)
JAMES BUCHANAN
(1857–61)
Cornelia Mitchell (cook)
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
(1861–65)
Peter Brown (cook, butler, waiter)
Mary Dines (Old Soldiers’ Home cook)
Cornelia Mitchell (cook)
Rosetta Wheeler (cook, seamstress)
ANDREW JOHNSON
(1865–69)
Lizzie Mitchell (family cook)
William Slade (steward)
ULYSSES S. GRANT
(1869–77)
Edgar (or Edward) Beckley (cook/steward)
Sarah Brooks (cook)
Lucy Fowler Latimer (cook)
Amos Thompson (assistant head of pantry)
Janie Warmack (cook)
RUTHERFORD B. HAYES
(1877–81)
William T. Crump (steward)
Jane Humphreys (head cook)
Lucy Fowler Latimer (cook)
Winnie Monroe (family cook)
John A. Simms (steward)
JAMES GARFIELD
(1881)
Joe Brown (railroad cook)
William T. Crump (steward)
Lucy Fowler Latimer (cook)
CHESTER A. ARTHUR
(1881–85)
Joe Brown (railroad cook)
Gabriel A. Coakley (assistant cook)
Lucy Fowler Latimer (cook)
Howard Williams (steward, cook, and messenger)
GROVER CLEVELAND
(1885–89, 1893–97)
Joe Brown (railroad cook)
Marcus Edwards (railroad cook)
Dollie Johnson (cook)
Susan Sebastian (cook)
William T. Sinclair (steward)
William Wells (steward)
BENJAMIN HARRISON
(1889–93)
Joe Brown (railroad cook)
Dollie Johnson (family cook)
Mary Robinson (pastry cook)
William T. Sinclair (steward)
WILLIAM MCKINLEY
(1897–1901)
Mrs. Benjamin (noted cook from S.C.)
Joe Brown (railroad cook)
Marcus Edwards (railroad cook)
Alice Howard (assistant cook)
Katie G. Seabrook (caterer/cook)
William T. Sinclair (steward)
William Wells (steward)
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
(1901–9)
Joe Brown (railroad cook)
Mrs. Julia Davis (cook)
Charles Harris (cook)
Alice Howard (assistant cook)
Mary (second cook)
Henry Pinckney (steward)
WILLIAM H. TAFT
(1909–13)
Joe Brown (railroad cook)
Mary (second cook)
Major Arthur Brooks (wine cellar keeper)
Jim Carter (assistant cook)
Marcus Edwards (railroad cook)
Charles Harris (cook)
Alice Howard (assistant cook)
John Smeades (railroad cook)
WOODROW WILSON
(1913–21)
Major Arthur Brooks (wine cellar keeper)
Joe Brown (railroad cook)
Charles H. Browne (dining room servant)
Jim Carter (assistant cook)
Marcus Edwards (railroad cook)
Alice Howard (assistant cook)
Delefosse Green (railroad cook)
Tom Jackson (railroad car cook)
Letch Wilson (railroad cook)
WARREN G. HARDING
(1921–23)
Major Arthur Brooks (wine cellar keeper)
Joe Brown (railroad cook)
Charles H. Browne (dining room servant)
Marcus Edwards (railroad cook)
Alice Howard (assistant cook)
CALVIN COOLIDGE
(1923–29)
Major Arthur Brooks (wine cellar keeper)
Joe Brown (railroad cook)
HERBERT HOOVER
(1929–33)
Joe Brown (railroad cook)
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT
(1933–45)
Ida Allen (chief cook)
Armstead Barnett (pantryman)
Elizabeth Blake (assistant cook)
Daisy Bonner (Warm Springs, Ga., cook)
James Carter (assistant cook)
Loretta Deans (cook)
Lizzie McDuffie (maid / assistant cook)
Elizabeth Moore (assistant cook)
Catherine Smith (assistant cook)
HARRY S. TRUMAN
(1945–53)
Eugene Allen (pantryman)
Armstead Barnett (pantryman)
William Dallas (Blair House chef)
Alonzo Fields (maître d’hôtel)
Vietta Garr (family cook)
Samuel “Mitch” Mitchell (railroad cook)
Allena Price (assistant chef)
William “Dad” Smith (assistant chef)
DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER
(1953–61)
Armstead Barnett (pantryman)
Ellen K. Charles (cook)
Jessie H. Goddis (butler/cook)
George L. Johnson (cook)
John H. Johnson (butler/cook)
Donald Major (cook)
Dolores Moaney (family cook at Gettysburg)
Sgt. John Moaney Jr. (valet/cook)
Willie A. Payne (cook)
Eunice J. Perkins (cook)
Allena M. Price (cook)
William “Dad” Smith (cook)
Fate Suber (butler/pantry)
Pearl Wiggins (pantry)
Isaiah Wilson (cook)
JOHN F. KENNEDY
(1961–63)
Eserline Dewberry (assistant cook)
Raymond Jackson (assistant cook)
Pearl Nelson (family cook)
Allena Price (assistant chef)
LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON
(1963–69)
Lucy M. Addison (pantry)
Fannie Allen (pantry)
Jessie D. Beals (pantry)
Alise Berry (pantry)
Franklin H. Blair (kitchen)
Mrs. Vernell Butler (kitchen helper)
Sallie Ann Davis (kitchen)
Eserline Dewberry (assistant chef)
Julia Farrow (kitchen)
John Ficklin (maître d’hôtel / wine steward)
Jessie Hall (pantry)
Margaret Harris (kitchen)
Raymond Jackson (assistant cook)
James T. Jeffries (pantry)
Dorothy L. Johnson (pantry)
Lottie Luckett (pantry)
Mary Lumpkin (pantry)
Eric R. Martin (kitchen)
Johnny E. Miller (pantry)
Delois Parks (kitchen)
Allena Price (assistant chef)
James E. Selmon (pantry)
Mary T. Smith (pantry)
John Stewart (pantry)
Willie P. Taylor (kitchen)
Helen C. Terry (pantry)
John F. Wiggins (pantry)
Pearl Wiggins (pantry)
William F. Wilkerson (pantry)
Ethel Wilson (pantry)
Zephyr Wright (family cook)
RICHARD M. NIXON
(1969–74)
Franklin H. Blair (pantry)
Eserline Dewberry (assistant cook)
John Ficklin (maître d’hôtel / wine steward)
Ronald Jackson (White House Mess)
Lee Simmons (Air Force One steward)
GERALD R. FORD
(1974–77)
Loraine Bivings (assistant cook)
Eserline Dewberry (assistant cook)
John Ficklin (maître d’hôtel / wine steward)
Ronald Jackson (White House Mess)
JAMES E. CARTER
(1977–81)
Eserline Dewberry (assistant cook)
John Ficklin (maître d’hôtel / wine steward)
RONALD REAGAN
(1981–89)
Adam Collick (kitchen steward)
Eserline Dewberry (assistant cook)
John Ficklin (maître d’hôtel / wine steward)
GEORGE H. W. BUSH
(1989–93)
Adam Collick (kitchen steward)
Sr. Master Sgt. Wanda Joell (Air Force One flight attendant)
WILLIAM J. CLINTON
(1993–2001)
Adam Collick (kitchen steward)
Anthony S. Holiday (assistant chef)
Sr. Master Sgt. Wanda Joell (Air Force One flight attendant)
Nathan McMackle (assistant chef)
Paula Patton-Moutsos (assistant chef)
Exec. Chef Charlie Redden (White House Mess)
Jason Stitt (assistant chef)
GEORGE W. BUSH
(2001–9)
Denzil Benjamin (assistant chef)
Adam Collick (kitchen steward)
Sr. Master Sgt. Wanda Joell (Air Force One flight attendant)
Paula Patton-Moutsos (assistant chef)
Exec. Chef Charlie Redden (White House Mess)
Stephen W. Rochon (chief usher)
Kathleen Willis (assistant chef)
BARACK H. OBAMA
(2009–17)
Denzil Benjamin (assistant chef)
Tafari Campbell (assistant chef)
Adam Collick (kitchen steward)
Sr. Master Sgt. Wanda Joell (Air Force One flight attendant)
Angella Reid (chief usher)
Stephen W. Rochon (chief usher)