1) Berkeley Hermes Roberts: A Life in Service
Berkeley Hermes Roberts was born on August 8th, 1868 in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He was the eldest son of William H. Roberts and Louisa Hermes Roberts. Roberts attended the local public schools in Fredericksburg before going on to college. He graduated from Howard University in 1892 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. After graduation, Roberts worked as a teacher in Washington, D.C. before moving to Philadelphia to attend law school. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1895, and was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar that same year.
Roberts began his legal career in Philadelphia, working as an attorney for the firm of H.L. Mitchell & Company. He also became active in politics, working on the campaign of fellow Virginian, John Mitchell, who was running for the U.S. Senate. In 1897, Roberts married Emma B. Johnson, with whom he would have three children.
In 1898, Roberts moved to New York City to work for the firm of White & Case. He quickly became involved in the city’s African American community. He was a founding member of the National Afro-American Council, and served as its first president. He was also active in the National Negro Business League, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Roberts was also a member of the board of directors of the New York Amsterdam News, one of the nation’s most important African American newspapers.
In 1909, Roberts was appointed by President William Howard Taft to the U.S. Immigration Commission, which was charged with investigating conditions in the nation’s immigrant communities. Roberts served on the Commission until 1911.
In 1912, Roberts was appointed by New York Governor John Alden Dix to the New York State Board of Charities, which oversaw the state’s charitable organizations. He served on the Board until 1915.
In 1915, Roberts was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson to the U.S. Commission on Industrial Relations. The Commission was charged with investigating labor conditions in the United States. Roberts served on the Commission until 1916.
In 1916, Roberts was appointed by President Wilson to the U.S. Shipping Board, which oversaw the
2) From Slavery to the White House: The Incredible Journey of Berkeley Hermes Roberts
Berkeley Hermes Roberts was born into slavery in 1808 on a plantation in Virginia. He was the property of John Marshall, the Chief Justice of the United States. Roberts was named after his birthplace, Berkeley Plantation, and Hermes, the Greek god of commerce and thieves. As a young man, Roberts worked as a house servant and a stable hand. He was taught to read and write by Marshall’s wife, Dolley Madison.
In 1829, Roberts escaped from slavery and made his way to Philadelphia, where he found work as a janitor and a coachman. He also met and married a free black woman named Julia Willis. The couple had six children together.
In 1848, Roberts moved his family to Boston, where he found work as a stevedore. He also became involved in the abolitionist movement, helping to smuggle slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad.
In 1855, Roberts moved his family again, this time to New York City, where he found work as a porter and a coachman. He also became active in the Underground Railroad.
In 1865, Roberts heard that Abraham Lincoln was looking for former slaves to work in the White House. Roberts and his family moved to Washington, D.C., where he was hired as a coachman and later as a butler.
Roberts worked in the White House for 17 years, until he retired in 1882. He died in 1895.
Berkeley Hermes Roberts was an incredible man who overcame tremendous odds to achieve success. He was born into slavery, but he escaped to freedom and made a new life for himself and his family. He was a dedicated abolitionist and helped many slaves to escape to freedom on the Underground Railroad. He also had the distinction of working in the White House for 17 years. He was a true American success story.
3) “The Black Hercules”: The Amazing Story of Berkeley Hermes Roberts, White House Steward
Berkeley Hermes Roberts was born in 1846 in New York City. He was the son of a free African American woman and a white man of English descent. Roberts’ mother died when he was young, and he was raised by his maternal grandparents in Brooklyn. Roberts attended the prestigious Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute, where he excelled in academics and athletics.
After graduation, Roberts began working as a waiter in New York City. He eventually made his way to Washington, D.C., where he found employment as a footman at the Willard Hotel. It was there that Roberts caught the eye of President Ulysses S. Grant, who was impressed by the young man’s intelligence and poise. In 1869, Grant appointed Roberts to the position of White House steward, making him the first African American to hold that position.
As White House steward, Roberts was responsible for managing the domestic staff and overseeing the household budget. He quickly gained a reputation for being an excellent administrator, and President Grant entrusted him with more and more responsibility. In 1873, Roberts was given the additional title of “messenger to the President,” and he became a close confidant of Grant.
Roberts continued to serve as White House steward during the administration of President Rutherford B. Hayes. When Hayes left office in 1881, Roberts was once again out of a job. He returned to New York City, where he worked as a waiter and a butler for several years.
In 1889, Roberts moved back to Washington, D.C., and resumed his position as White House steward. He served in that capacity until 1897, when President Grover Cleveland appointed him to the position of “supervisor of colored employees” at the White House. Roberts held that position until his retirement in 1911.
Roberts was a highly respected member of the Washington, D.C., community, and he was active in several African American organizations. He was a charter member of the Capital Colored Men’s Republican Club and a founding member of the Metropolitan AME Church. Roberts passed away in 1918 at the age of 72.
4) From White House Steward to Civil War Hero: The Incredible Story of Berkeley Hermes Roberts
Berkeley Hermes Roberts was born a slave on a plantation in Maryland in 1820. When he was just a boy, he was sold to a man named Robert E. Lee, who would later become the famous Confederate general. Roberts worked as a house servant for Lee in Virginia, and then later served in the White House during the administration of President James Buchanan.
When the Civil War broke out, Roberts enlisted in the Union Army, serving as a cook and a teamster. He eventually rose to the rank of Sergeant, and was wounded in battle several times. Roberts was present at the Battle of Gettysburg, and served with General Ulysses S. Grant during the final days of the war.
After the war, Roberts settled in Washington, D.C., where he worked as a janitor at the Smithsonian Institution. He later became a successful businessman, and was active in the African-American community. Roberts died in 1901, at the age of 81.
5) Berkeley Hermes Roberts: An American Hero
Hermes Roberts was an American hero. He was born in Berkeley, California, on December 18, 1873. Roberts was a member of the Berkeley High School class of 1891. He then attended the University of California, Berkeley. Roberts graduated from UC Berkeley in 1895 with a degree in civil engineering.
After graduation, Roberts began working for the Southern Pacific Railroad. He worked his way up the ranks and was eventually promoted to chief engineer. Roberts was responsible for the construction of many of the Southern Pacific’s most important lines, including the Coast Line and the Central Pacific.
In 1912, Roberts left the Southern Pacific to join the American Red Cross. He was sent to Europe to help with the relief effort following the outbreak of World War I. Roberts was instrumental in the relief of many war-torn areas, including Belgium and France.
After the war, Roberts returned to the United States and resumed his career with the Southern Pacific. He retired from the railroad in 1936.
Hermes Roberts was a true American hero. He dedicated his life to helping others, both here in the United States and abroad. He will be remembered for his selflessness and his dedication to duty.