Florence Johnson Smith | |
|---|---|
 Andrew Johnson Stover and Florence Johnson, 1860s (Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, U.S. National Park Service) | |
| Born | Florence Johnson May 1850 Greeneville, Tennessee, United States |
| Died | September 15, 1920 Knoxville, Tennessee, United States |
| Resting place | Knoxville College Cemetery |
| Other names | Aunt Florence, Fannie Smith, Mrs. Henry Smith |
| Occupation(s) | Housemaid, cook |
| Known for | Enslaved by future U.S. President Andrew Johnson, worked in White House |
| Parent |
|
| Relatives | Elizabeth Johnson Forby (sister) William Andrew Johnson (brother) Samuel Johnson (uncle) |
Florence Johnson Smith (May 1850 – September 15, 1920) was a mixed-race woman from Tennessee who was enslaved from birth until approximately age 13 by Andrew Johnson, later the 17th president of the United States. She worked at the White House as a housemaid during Johnson's presidency and in his home as a cook after he left office. Her mother was Dolly Johnson; the identity of her father remains officially unknown. Since the late 20th century several scholars and popular historians have speculated or insinuated that Andrew Johnson may be Florence's biological father, although there is no evidence that either confirms the relationship or eliminates Johnson as a candidate for paternity.[1][2][3][4][5][6] In later life Florence Smith may have been a woman of some financial means as she was remembered at the time of her death as a benefactress who financially supported local African American students pursuing college educations.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:8was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Boren, Rance A. (September 2022). "A case of neglect". Cortex. 154: 254–258. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2022.06.003. ISSN 0010-9452. PMID 35810499. S2CID 249650951.
- ^ Wineapple, Brenda (2020). The Impeachers: The Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Dream of a Just Nation. Random House Publishing Group. p. 52. ISBN 9780812987911 – via Libby.
- ^ Gordon-Reed, Annette (2011). Andrew Johnson. The American Presidents Series. New York: Times Books/Henry Holt. pp. 41–42. ISBN 978-0-8050-6948-8. LCCN 2010032595. OCLC 154806758.
- ^ Holland, Jesse J. (2016). The Invisibles: The Untold Story of African American Slaves in the White House. Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press. pp. 193–201. ISBN 978-1-4930-0846-9. LCCN 2015034010. OCLC 926105956.
- ^ Bowen, David Warren (2005) [1976, 1989]. "Chapter 3: The Defender of Slavery". Andrew Johnson and the Negro. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press. pp. 54–55. ISBN 978-0-87049-584-7. LCCN 88009668. OCLC 17764213. Originally published as a thesis: ProQuest 7710753.
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