one week from today lee daniels the butler opens. it s the story of an african american man that works for presidents. it s the true story of eugene alan who died in 2010 at the age of 90. he lived to see an african american become president of the united states. anderson sat down with alan s son charles and with will haygood author of the butler, a witness to history. his original story the washington post inspired the film. what was it that initially drew you to this story? i knew i wanted to find somebody from the era of segregation before the civil rights bills had been passed in this country and what worked in
the white house. and so i started this massive nationwide search, made a lot of phone calls, utilized all my sources, and on the 57th call to his father s house, i say this is will haygood with the washington post and i m looking for mr. eugene alan. someone told me he worked for three presidents and when i said i m looking for mr. alan who used to work for three presidents, he said well, you re speaking to him but let me correct you, i ve worked for eight presidents. nobody had ever told his story. when we were looking at his archives in his basement, he had, i think, really realized the importance of what he had went through in life, 34 years at the white house, never missing a day of work through eight presidents from harry trueman to ronald reagan. i said nobody has ever written a lengthy story about you, mr. allen? he stock a step closer to me and
haygood author of the butler, a witness to history. his original story the washington post inspired the film. what was it that initially drew you to this story? i knew i wanted to find somebody from the era of segregation before the civil rights bills had been passed in this country and what worked in the white house. and so i started this massive nationwide search, made a lot of phone calls, utilized all my sources, and on the 57th call to his father s house, i say this is will haygood with the washington pose and it and i m for mr. eugene alan. someone told me he worked for three presidents and when i said i m looking for mr. alan who used to work for three presidents, he said well, you re speaking to him but let me correct you, i ve worked for eight presidents. nobody had ever told his story. when we were looking at his archives in his basement, he
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