Guest of Honor

In 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation to Booker T. Washington for dinner at the executive mansion became a historic moment, provoking national outrage as it marked the first time a Black man and former slave had dined there. This seemingly ordinary event spiraled into a scandal fueled by sensational media coverage, threatening both men's reputations. In her engaging narrative, Deborah Davis explores this pivotal moment in post-Civil War America, illuminating the lives and philosophies of Roosevelt and Washington while bringing to light many other overlooked historical figures.