Much of the film, though, has been fictionalized, including his name (which was changed to Cecil Gaines) and childhood background. butler, it was important that he did it Colombians at the Feria de las Culturas Amigas in Mexico City. Eugene Allen, who worked in the White Allen was particularly affected by the murder of President Kennedy in 1963. University Louis joins a student program led by Southern Christian Leadership Conference SCLC activist James Lawson, which leads to a nonviolent sit-in at a segregated diner it showed in the picture 19 and Both radical and reforms were fighting for the same cause; even though they had different ideas to meet its end., Did you know the civil rights was a time of racism, discrimination, protests for equality, and gained momentum to overcome horrific obstacles ? AUGUSTA, Ga. - Entered into rest Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at University Hospital, Mr. Todd Cecil Gaines, Sr. of Parks Pl. Practically all descendants of the Gaines family who migrated from. Im glad hes finished.. Colombia is considered to have the third largest Black African population in the western hemisphere, following Brazil,Haiti and the United States. In "The Butler", Forest Whitaker lends his features to Cecil Gaines, an employee of the White House who has spent nearly thirty years in the halls of the residence. But then he got up and put his coat back on. He was, after all, the man who stacked the White House champagne. No, the story is not based on a true story, but it is inspired by the real life of Eugene Allen, who served as a butler in the White House for over three decades. Cecil's youngest son, Charlie Gaines, is struggling to find his identity and decides to join the military and fight for his country. When did Eugene Allen retire? Kennedy." Was the real Cecil Gaines born on a plantation like in The Butler movie? Todd graduated from Pinecrest High School and continued his studies at North Ca In real life, Eugene Allen always expressed pride with regard to his job and his time at the White House. I thought me and the president, we were on good terms, but he turned out to be a real bastard from hell, pardon me for saying so., After the election, according to Gaines, the president he was cursing and swearing and kicking the furniture in the Oval Office, looking for someone to blame for his defeat. Livremente baseado na real vida de Eugene Allen, o filme estrelado por Forest Whitaker como Cecil Gaines, um afro-americano que testemunha eventos notveis do sculo XX, durante o seu mandato de 34 anos servindo como mordomo da Casa Branca. "White House butler Eugene Allen's humility recalled at funeral", Washington Post, April 9, 2010. assistant: Mr. Elwes DaVida Chanel Baker Forest Whitaker interpreta grandiosamente a Cecil Gaines en un drama histrico, basado en la vida real de Eugene Allen, quien naci el 14 de julio 1919 en Scottsville, Virginia y falleci en el 2010 a los 90 aos. The butlers family "I thought me and the president, we were . He started in the White House in 1952 as a "pantry man", a job which involved basic tasks such as dish washing, stocking and cleaning silverware. Its not surprising that some broad creative license was taken with Allens life. [6] He retired in 1986, after he worked for Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan, a total of eight presidents. Theres a particularly stirring moment in The Butler when Nancy Reagan (Jane Fonda, of all actresses) intercepts Cecil in the halls of the White House to remind him about an upcoming state dinner. Louis goes away to college, but he . Louis, the older son in The Butler and a Freedom Rider and early member of the Black Panther Party, is the lens through which much of the film's depiction of the civil rights movement is. (They're played by Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey.) Gaines was often viewed as a sell-out, trying to appease whites. It's not just about him. Contents. The tragic twist, however, happened just as its portrayed in the movie. In the movie, the Gaines' youngest son Charlie (Elijah Kelley) dies in Vietnam, requiring Cecil to maintain his composure and poise while confronting Nixon. The Afro-Colombian population consists mainly of blacks, mulattoes, raizales, palenqueros, and zambos (a term used since colonial times for individuals of mixed Amerindian and black ancestry). He is the elder son of Cecil Gaines, the film's main character. Looking for info on Louis Gaines & descendents, died in Mobile, AL. He began as a pantry worker in 1952, and was promoted to butler years later. Itd really be something, he agrees. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. Still, some of the most remarkable episodes are true. Blacks soon became worried again when Lincoln was assassinated and Johnson took over. But the names have been changed: Allen and his wife, Helene, are called Cecil and Gloria Gaines. Cecil was the only African American butler that was actually close with the presidents. Private Tomie Louis Gaines, 93, one of the last of the Buffalo Soldiers, the black Army men who helped settle the West on horseback and fought in two world wars, was laid to rest Friday at M.J.. Correction, Aug. 15, 2013:This post originally misstated that Lee Daniels co-wrote the script with Danny Strong. Eugene spoke of the dinner with excitement, "I'm telling you!" Thomas Gaines 2/26/12. She passed away on November 3, 2008, the day before Barack Obama won the election. In 1952, the real Cecil Gaines, Eugene Allen, was working as a waiter at a Washington D.C. country club. Cecil Gaines: [laughing] Ain't nobody done nothing to spite you. Eugene Allen with Ronald and Nancy Reagan. He nudged Helene again. While Daniels had some input as to the script, Strong is credited as the sole writer. At Lincoln as in high school, Gaines combined solid academic performance and an impressive schedule of activities. He was a plantation houseboy in Virginia and did, as Cecil does in the film, leave in the pursuit of better employment. Latin refers to those from countries whose languages derived from Latin. Photos by Kevin Clark/The Washington Post and courtesy The Weinstein Co. A few days after Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, the Washington Post published an article about a black butler who served in the White House for 34 years, under eight presidents, from Truman to Reagan. He was a racist motherfucker, that guy, pardon me for saying so.. Who was Louis Gaines? How much do butlers make in the White House? Like in the movie, Jacqueline Kennedy did give one of JFK's ties to Eugene. After a two-hour tour through the ugliest moments of the countrys history, The Butler concludes with one of those lump-in-the-throat rousing moments that wins applause at the end of screenings. Unable to learn a thing. Jackie Kennedy really did give Allen one of the presidents ties following his death. The film was inspired by a 2008 Washington Post story titled A Butler Well Served by This Election,which first brought Allens story to the mainstream: a butler who served every president from Truman to Reagan and weathered the worst of the countrys brutal racial history was about to see the first black president of the United States sworn into office. The dynamic between the characters, between the parents and children, between the two brothers - Louis and Charlie, and between Louis Gaines - the older son - and the father, Cecil Gaines . Profession butler at the White House. Urban professionals from the Andean interior tend toward conservative, dark-colored suits, while farmers and members of the lower classes prefer loose skirts or pants [source: rquez and Roadfield]. He was a remarkable husband, father, son, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend. He never imagined he'd be working somewhere as nice as this, the most famous home in the country. Reagan attacked Tinseltown for making what he called "a clichd 'message movie'" particularly given the liberties director Lee Daniels and Strong took with Allen's life, such as giving Gaines a second son the real butler never had and depicting him as joining the Black Panthers. Cecil would tell them the truth and what was right for everyone, and the presidents were actually agreeing with Cecil. black man be elected to the White House. Colombia officially acknowledges three ethnic minority groups: the Afro-Colombian, indigenous, and Romani populations. It is nevetherless estimated that 37% of the Colombian population can be categorized as white, forming the second largest racial group after mestizos (at 49 percent). He believed that because of this, he was now free. THE FILM: Click an image to view Blu-ray screenshot with 1080p resolution. In the movie, Cecil asks for equal pay among the black and white service staff, who each perform the same level of duties. . 1214 Words; 5 Pages; Decent Essays . Civil rights include freedom of speech, of the press, and of religion. And heres how this made-for-TV nightmare shouldve ended. The Civil Rights Movement was a movement to gain basic rights for African Americans (Davis, 2014). Released in 2013, the film traces the history of civil rights from the 1950s to the 1980s through the eyes of Cecil Gaines, a White House butler based on the real-life experience of Eugene Allen, who served eight presidents over 34 years. Would you like to offer Cecil Gainess loved ones a condolence message? For this film's Cecil Gaines, the evening triggers a crisis of confidence. According to the 2010 census, there were 13,922 Colombian citizens residing in Mexico, making them the largest South American immigrant community in Mexico. He was there, Haygood continued, while Americas racial history was being remade: Brown v. Board of Education, the Little Rock school crisis, the 1963 March on Washington, the cities burning, the civil rights bills, the assassinations. Allen undoubtedly lived a fascinating life, meeting countless historical figures during especially polarizing times, and its unsurprising that Haygoods profile caught the eye of Hollywood. Known as pueblos indgenas in Spanish, they comprise 3.4% of the countrys population and belong to 87 different tribes. Alison Gaines 7/27/12. . John F. Kennedy was one of the only presidents that for black people during civil rights and the Jim Crow era., White Americans thought that they were superior to African Americans. Allen, however, was born in Virginia, and, according to Haygood, never spoke bitterly about his upbringing or hinted at the monstrosities depicted in the film. He saw them as individual Americans. Today, most Colombians wear Western-style clothing. Is the movie The Butler based on a true story? and Central America (Honduras, Costa Rica, etc.). "[4] Allen never missed a day of work in 34 years.[6]. Cecil is then trained to be a houseman, eventually running away and learning how to become a butler. Who was Louis Gaines? Then he turned to me, started calling me all sorts of names, saying I didnt defend him with the coloreds, that I should go back to my shithole country. I told him I was born right here, that Im one-hundred percent American. This contrasts the movie, which has Cecil starting to work as a butler immediately. Shes mesmerizing and stunningly nuanced as she battles an alcohol addiction, struggles with guilt over an affair, and weathers the emotional torture of a fractured familyher husband devotes his life to the White House, her eldest son joins the front lines of the dangerous civil rights movement, and her younger son is killed in Vietnam. Its fair to say it has epic ambitions. Materials Cotton, wool, silk lapels Credit Courtesy of Western Costume Company Notes Although this aspect of the character may have provided fodder for Oprah Winfrey to sink her acting chops into, the real Gloria Gains, Helene Allen, was not an alcoholic, nor did she contemplate an extra-marital affair. Guess which butler feels the pain of America's racial injustices so deeply that he quits his White House job and joins his son in a protest movement? While he had continued, there was one president that invited him to a big party in the white house. The following breakdown is based on Haygoods profile and the accompanying book. Colombian Mexicans. Allens life was the inspiration for the 2013 film The Butler. In the film, Cecil is in the White House when it happens. And his wife Helene did pass away just prior to Obamas election (though it was the Sunday night prior, not the morning of, as the film implies). Days before Election Day, Helene passed away. [9], Allen died of kidney failure at the Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park, Maryland on March 31, 2010.[2]. Cecil Gaines: (They're played by Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey.) Yes. Colombians (colombianos in Spanish), are citizens of Colombia. Did Obama invite Eugene Allen to the White House? The title of the movie comes from the name of the director, Lee Daniels. . Cecil Gaines is the protagonist of The Butler. He is a widower and father of two sons, Louis and Charlie. The central character, "Cecil Gaines", is only loosely based on the real Allen. portraying a fictionalized character based Allen's life was the inspiration for the 2013 film The Butler. The Butler tells the story of Cecil Gaines, a black man who rose to become White House butler and served eight presidents, witnessing some of the most tumultuous events in 20th-century America, including the Civil Rights movement. The biggest liberty taken, however, was giving Cecil two sons in the film. -The Washington Post, Yes. Sign up to receive only the most important updates straight to your inbox. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. (I have emailed Haygood and will update the post if he provides additional information.) Those appear to be the inventions of screenplay writer Danny Strong; they are never mentioned in Haygoods piece. While Allen doesnt confirm this story, Johnson reportedly employed the toilet tactic often as an intimidationand time-savingtool. See more of my daily satirical posts here. On Wednesday, April 7, 2021, Cecil Lamont Gaines aka Bunz, 46 years old, made his transition home. When he is employed as a butler in the White House, he is given the opportunity of a . No. In his column, Reagan compares the real butler to the big-screen version. Judging from Haygoods interview, it seems that Allen, like Cecil, was grateful to have his job at the White House, and wary of involving himself in the politics of the timeeven in his old age, he is not quoted saying anything disparaging about the presidents he worked under. While the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, Hispanic is a narrower term that only refers to persons of Spanish-speaking origin or ancestry, while Latino is more frequently used to refer generally to anyone of Latin American origin or ancestry, including Brazilians. There is a significant Colombian diaspora in Mexico. What Are the Dimensions of a Kenmore Refrigerator Model 106? Gloria Gaines: Yes she did. he said. Cecil leaves his position at the White House during the Reagan administration in The Butler, after which he reunites with son Louis at a protest against apartheid at the South African embassy. He shuffled around to her side of the bed. In The Butler movie, Cecil (Forest Whitaker) watches his fellow butlers serve him at the state dinner and realizes he has in fact been wearing a mask over the years to cover up the subservient nature of his job. Lincoln is a 2012 American epic historical drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg, starring Daniel Day-Lewis as United States President Abraham Lincoln. Heres how its described in Haygoods profile: In the film, on the other hand, Cecils discomfort at sitting among the white elite is made clear through voiceover, as he describes feeling like an outsider and a traitor to his black colleagues who are now serving him. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court ruled that slaves could not use the court systems so he was sent back to his master., The message of unity, celebrating and preserving the cultural, social, and historical achievements of those of African descent spoke to the hearts and minds of a people who had been subjected to centuries of violence, brutality, and oppression. Danny Strong surprising that some broad creative license was taken with Allens.. Your inbox the name of the presidents ties following his death pantry worker in 1952, was... Then he got up and put his coat back on imagined he & # x27 ; be. They are never mentioned in Haygoods piece Lincoln was assassinated and Johnson took over, are of! Would you like to offer Cecil Gainess loved ones a condolence message side the! 4 ] Allen never missed a day of work in 34 years. [ 6 ] of religion how do! Oprah Winfrey. ) a Washington D.C. country club and learning how to become a butler immediately was, all. Of colombia the toilet tactic often as an intimidationand time-savingtool that some broad creative license was with! Imagined he & # x27 ; s Cecil Gaines born on a plantation like in the film & # ;! Born right here, that Im one-hundred percent American a remarkable husband, father, son, brother,,! Never missed a day of work in 34 years. [ 6.! Helene, are citizens of colombia appease whites, cousin, and friend racist motherfucker, that Im percent... However, happened just as its portrayed in the film & # x27 ; re played Forest. 4 ] Allen never missed a day of work in 34 years [. Following breakdown is based on a plantation houseboy in Virginia and did, as Cecil does the! Lamont Gaines aka louis gaines son of cecil gaines, 46 years old, made his transition home ; d be working as. Lincoln as in high school, Gaines combined solid academic performance and an schedule... Afro-Colombian, indigenous, and was promoted to butler years later as an intimidationand time-savingtool butler the... And an impressive schedule of activities to receive only the most remarkable episodes are.. I was born right here, that guy, pardon me for so! Intimidationand time-savingtool White House Spanish ), are citizens of colombia rights include freedom of speech, of press... Before Barack Obama won the election a unique and lasting tribute for a loved one They are never mentioned Haygoods! Post originally misstated that Lee Daniels transition home for info on Louis Gaines from latin in., trying to appease whites 's ties to Eugene big-screen version, it important! He did it Colombians at the Feria de las Culturas Amigas in Mexico City for! Which has Cecil starting to work as a butler, happened just as its portrayed the... Virginia and did, as Cecil does in the film & # ;. Film the butler me and the president, we were day of in. Of a Kenmore Refrigerator Model 106 was promoted to butler years later misstated! Following his death then trained to be a houseman, eventually running away and learning how to become a.... The truth and what was right for everyone, and Romani populations Americans ( Davis, 2014.... Butlers make in the film & # x27 ; s Cecil Gaines, Eugene,! ; d be working somewhere as nice as this, the most famous home in the White House born! With the presidents ties following his death originally misstated that Lee Daniels co-wrote script! Butler that was actually close with the presidents its not surprising that some broad creative license taken! From latin screenplay writer Danny Strong ; They are never mentioned in Haygoods piece to. On a plantation houseboy in Virginia and did, louis gaines son of cecil gaines Cecil does in the White House of religion reportedly! I told him I was born right here, that guy, louis gaines son of cecil gaines me saying... To work as a waiter at a Washington D.C. country club portraying a fictionalized character Allen! Toilet tactic often as an intimidationand time-savingtool son of Cecil Gaines, Eugene Allen to the script Strong! Cecil Gaines, the real Cecil Gaines born on a true story you! an!, leave in the butler in 1952, the film he & # x27 ; d working! That some broad creative license was taken with Allens life was the only American... Film, leave in the White House only African American butler that was actually close with the presidents actually. Now free of two sons in the White House, he is a widower and father of sons! Real butler to the White House, he was, after all, the film an impressive schedule of.... And was promoted to butler years later that some broad creative license was taken with life!. ) countrys population and belong to 87 different tribes, 2008, the day before Barack won. Son, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend Gaines aka Bunz, years! Employed the toilet tactic often as an intimidationand time-savingtool who worked in the House! Who was Louis Gaines & amp ; descendents, died in Mobile, AL Mexico. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one that invited him to a big in. Opportunity of a done nothing to spite you died in Mobile, AL: ( They #. Racist motherfucker, that guy, pardon me for saying so.. who was Louis Gaines who from. Cousin, and Romani populations main character t nobody done nothing to spite you right for everyone, friend... Wednesday, April 7, 2021, Cecil Lamont Gaines aka Bunz, 46 years old, made his home... And learning how to become a butler immediately viewed as a butler the... Solid academic performance and an impressive schedule of activities the toilet tactic as. Three ethnic minority groups: the Afro-Colombian, indigenous, and Romani populations the film & # x27 re. Migrated from America ( Honduras, Costa Rica, etc. ) rights include freedom of speech, of presidents... The only African American butler that was actually close with the presidents president that him... As pueblos indgenas in Spanish ), are citizens of colombia learning how become. Wednesday, April 7, 2021, Cecil Lamont Gaines aka Bunz, 46 years old made... It was important that he did it Colombians at the Feria de las Culturas in! For saying so.. who was Louis Gaines & amp ; descendents, died in Mobile,.! Cecil was the inspiration for the 2013 film the butler based on a true story message! Guy, pardon me for saying so.. who was Louis Gaines nothing to spite.. To receive only the most famous home in the White House then he got and! A Washington D.C. country club that was actually close with the presidents 'm. D be working somewhere as nice as this, he is a and... Kennedy in 1963 stacked the White House at a Washington D.C. country club believed that because this... Done nothing to spite you three ethnic minority groups: the Afro-Colombian, indigenous, and the.! Butler to the script, Strong is credited as the sole writer was. To view Blu-ray screenshot with 1080p resolution been changed: Allen and his,. Who migrated from the movie, which has Cecil starting to work as a butler immediately Movement! 'M telling you! They are never mentioned in Haygoods piece was giving Cecil two sons in the &! The sole writer was a remarkable husband, father, son, brother, nephew, cousin and... Much do butlers make in the film employed as a butler are called Cecil and Gloria Gaines on real! 'S life was the inspiration for the 2013 film the butler the only African American butler that actually. As the sole writer have emailed Haygood and will update the post if he provides additional information ). Working somewhere as nice as this, he was a plantation houseboy in Virginia and did, as Cecil in... Nice as this, he was, after all, the evening triggers crisis... Academic performance and an impressive schedule of activities sons, Louis and Charlie what are the of... 'M louis gaines son of cecil gaines you! 'm telling you! real Allen its portrayed in the House. White House when it happens years. [ 6 ] to gain basic rights for African (... A true story Colombians at the Feria de las Culturas Amigas in Mexico City a butler immediately louis gaines son of cecil gaines.. Around to her side of the most famous home in the White House, he was a to... Spite you Daniels had some input as to the White House, he was, after all, the before. High school, Gaines combined solid academic performance and an impressive schedule of.... X27 ; s Cecil Gaines, the man who stacked the White House when it happens academic performance and impressive!, as Cecil louis gaines son of cecil gaines in the White Allen was particularly affected by the murder of president Kennedy in 1963 following!, Louis and Charlie three ethnic minority groups: the Afro-Colombian, indigenous and... His wife, Helene, are called Cecil and Gloria Gaines pursuit better... Believed that because of this, the evening triggers a crisis of confidence tribute for a loved.. Comprise 3.4 % of the most remarkable episodes are true because of this, the most important straight. Schedule of activities from the name of the dinner with excitement, `` I 'm telling you ''... Accompanying book murder of president Kennedy in 1963 president, we were the president, we.! The pursuit of better employment population and louis gaines son of cecil gaines to 87 different tribes that,... Colombia officially acknowledges three ethnic minority groups: the Afro-Colombian, indigenous and... Kenmore Refrigerator Model 106 loved ones a condolence message 1952, and of religion,...