by Mary Spiller
November 9, 2025
A newly donated handwritten note from 1861 sheds light on Lincoln’s stance against racial prejudice in the White House is now on display at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
A simple letter of recommendation written by Abraham Lincoln in 1861 is offering a rare glimpse into the humanity and social awareness 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 served Lincoln faithfully as his valet and driver. Despite his loyalty, Johnson faced rejection from other White House staffers because of his darker skin tone.
“The difference of color between him and the other servants is the cause of our separation,” Lincoln wrote in the March 16, 1861, letter to Navy Secretary Gideon Welles, according to The Associated Press.
The president’s request was straightforward — he hoped Johnson might secure a position under Welles’ supervision. However, the Navy Secretary responded that no roles were available at the time. Still, the letter stands as an early and personal example of Lincoln’s empathy, especially remarkable during a moment when the nation 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 cannot casually 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 remained 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 — only to contract the disease himself and die in early 1864.
Historian James Conroy noted that the letter reflects Lincoln’s consistent compassion toward others, regardless of race or status. “Nobody can question that Lincoln was a very kindly guy, very empathetic, trying 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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