Many Research White House History After First Lady's Slavery Remark

First lady Michelle Obama's reference to the White House being built by slaves prompted a lot of conversation about the history of the White House.

During her 2016 Democratic National Convention speech Monday night, Obama referenced the history and progress of African Americans in the nation.

"I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves," she said. "And I watch my daughters, two beautiful, intelligent, black young women, playing with their dogs on the White House lawn."

After her speech, many viewers turned to research whether the first lady's statements were factual.

The website for a nonprofit that documents the history of the White House was slammed with people looking for more background on the slavery reference.

"We've seen more than a double increase spike in our traffic in the last 24 hours, and that occurred similarly when she mentioned it back in June," said Lara Kline, vice president of marketing and communications for the White House Historical Association. 

The White House is a well-known symbol of American liberty and pride. But historians also find that the heralded building’s history is marked by the role of slaves.

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The White House Historical Association reports on its website enslaved African Americans were a part of the workforce that built the White House.

When construction began in 1792, after an attempt to recruit laborers from Europe did not yield well, commissioners rented African American slaves from slave owners to do the work, alongside various paid laborers and artisans.

“Historians have researched the issue and found that the White House was actually built by enslaved and non-enslaved individuals,” Kline said. “Both black and white individuals contributed to the building of the White House.”

The first lady previously was quoted saying she wakes up in a house built by slaves when she gave the commencement address at City College of New York in June.

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