57 pages • 1 hour read
J. B. West, Mary Lynn KotzUpstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies
J. B. West, Mary Lynn KotzNonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1973A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Cultural Context: Women’s Changing Roles in American Life
When West began his career in the White House in 1941, there were only 10 women out of 535 in the House and Senate. Later that decade, the Supreme Court ruled that it was constitutionally permissible to bar women from certain professions, such as bartending. Women had gained the right to vote only 21 years before in 1920. In reality, only men, and white men at that, were electable for the office of the president. Eleanor Roosevelt challenged stereotypes by championing so many causes in the White House and taking the pulse of public opinion. Bess Truman, though a political confidant of her husband’s, concealed that role from the public. Both Mamie Eisenhower and Jackie Kennedy conformed to the traditional role of first lady, as they focused their public efforts on the furnishings, decorations, and entertainment at the White House.
In the early 1960s, the Equal Pay Act and Civil Rights Act were passed. Both laws awarded rights to women. With the civil rights movement at that time as well, women were demanding political recognition and fair treatment. Lady Bird Johnson accordingly transformed the role of the first lady. She advocated for a political cause, beautification, which became a precursor to the environmental movement. Additionally, she delegated the traditionally feminine responsibility of planning for White House events to a social secretary. That person, instead of her, planned menus and arranged for entertainment.
Thus, the role of the first lady began to change in the 1960s. However, when West retired in 1969, there were only 11 women out of 535 in the House and Senate. The Supreme Court had yet to rule against a law because it discriminated on the basis of gender. That did not happen until 1971 in the case of Reed v. Reed. In that case, the Court ruled that a law favoring men as administrators of estates was unconstitutional because it was irrational. It would not be until the 1990s that women’s representation in Congress would jump considerably, and the Supreme Court would require a higher standard of protection for gender discrimination than rationality.
Authorial Context: An Insider’s View
West’s position as usher and then chief usher provided him with an unparalleled view of First Families. He commented that the first family was more observed by the staff than the Secret Service, who were looking for threats against them and not necessarily looking at them. Privy to the family’s interactions with one another, West observed the closeness or coldness in relationships. The greatest contrast occurred between the Roosevelt and Truman administrations, as the Roosevelts were as separate as any couple he observed, and the Trumans were very close and spent much time together. He saw how Lady Bird Johnson sometimes tuned out her domineering husband, blunting his extremes, and at other times, stood up to him. Witnessing interactions with children as well, West noted the formality between Eleanor and her adult children. Jackie Kennedy, he argued, was her most authentic self and happiest when playing with her children. Of all the White House children, he thought Margaret Truman the least spoiled.
Because West’s job was to fulfill the requests of the first family, he answered mainly to first ladies. He, therefore, got to observe how they treated those under them and how effective they were at management. Although he greatly admired Eleanor Roosevelt’s commitment to public service, he felt a strong class difference between them. She did not see the staff as her equals. In contrast, the Trumans introduced the staff to their guests. The staff was not invisible. Mamie Eisenhower guarded her domain but took a keen interest in the lives of staff. He also provided insight into the personalities and concerns of some presidents under whom he served. President Kennedy was worried about press coverage as the first president elected in the television age. President Eisenhower was quick to both laughter and anger. In short, West got to see beyond the public depictions of the first families. He provides the reader with a look at the real people living in the White House.
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