How Africa News
She made headlines on foreign news sites when she was sacked by the Trump administration, especially given her nonpartisan stance, but her history was lost in the shuffle. Angella Reid became the White House’s first female head usher, the second African American, and the ninth person in 2011. She was in charge of the White House’s construction, refurbishment, cuisine, administrative, and personal responsibilities.
Securing such professions was beyond her wildest aspirations for someone born in Jamaica’s St. Thomas parish, but as they say, anything is possible. She applied for the position with modest expectations, and the Obama administration quickly offered her the position. Before relocating to the United States, she completed her high school education in Kingston, Jamaica.
Angella worked in the hotel industry for 25 years before joining the White House staff. She graduated from the Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft School of Hotel Management in Munich, Germany, and speaks conversational German and basic Spanish. She began her career at the Half Moon Club in Jamaica and ascended through the ranks to become General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City, Arlington, Virginia.
Angella handled the White House and the residence of officials working overseas from the day she received her appointment information, according to CNN. She was in charge of ensuring that all operations and activities within the Executive home and its grounds ran well.
As chief usher, she worked closely with the White House Historical Association, the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, the United States Commission of Fine Arts, and other organizations to care for and preserve the historic People’s House. She was also in charge of the annual inventory of White House property, which is administered by the Office of the Curator and the National Park Service.
Angela found her position at the White House to be no different than her previous one; the only difference this time was that she could bring the glamour and class of her two-decade experience to bear on the historic House. Angella was in charge of Ritz Carlton locations in Miami, Washington, D.C., Florida, Arlington, and Virginia.
When she was appointed to the White House, she told CNN that she was perplexed by how her feet moved across history. According to the Obama White House Archives, she wondered about the Presidents and First Lady who had walked along the same hallway as any other guest. She may have been fired due to partisanship, but she left a significant impact for the black community.
