Letter from Abraham Lincoln reveals his plea for the black clerk shunned by the staff

A simple letter of recommendation written by Abraham Lincoln in 1861 offers a rare glimpse into the humanity and social consciousness of a president navigating a deeply divided nation. The document, recently donated to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum by private collector Peter Tuite, is now on display in Springfield, Illinois. The note, written just weeks after Lincoln’s inauguration, was a plea on behalf of William Johnson, a young black man who had faithfully served Lincoln as his valet and driver. Despite his loyalty, Johnson was rejected by other White House staffers because of his darker skin tone.

“The color difference between him and the other servants is the cause of our separation,” Lincoln said wrote in the March 16, 1861 letter to Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles, according to The Associated Press.

The president’s request was clear: he hoped Johnson would secure a position under Welles’s supervision. However, the Navy Secretary responded that no roles were available at the time. Still, the letter is an early and personal example of Lincoln’s empathy, especially notable at a time when the country was teetering on the brink of civil war.

Christina Shutt, executive director of the Lincoln Museum, called the note “a piece of history with layer upon layer of meaning.” She added, as reported by the Associated Press: “We see him trying to help a friend. We see that even the new president can’t just hand out jobs. We see issues of class and color within the White House.”

Johnson eventually found a position at the Treasury Department later that year. He stayed close to Lincoln, shaving him daily and even accompanying him to Pennsylvania for the Gettysburg Address. When Lincoln fell ill with smallpox shortly after the trip, Johnson cared for him – but he contracted the disease himself and died in early 1864.

Historian James Conroy noted that the letter reflects Lincoln’s consistent compassion toward others regardless of race or status. “No one can doubt that Lincoln was a very kind man, very empathetic, who tried to help people when he could,” he said.

After Johnson’s death, Lincoln personally handled his final wages and paid for his coffin.

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